"The Gift Of Jesus"-Joy, Encouragement and Alignment With Your True Purpose
My father used to tell me, "ROHO there are some things that only experience can teach you." And the more I live, the more i realize how true that statement is. As we enter the Christmas season and I think about how Jesus was born in a manger, with not even his own bed. I realize that God was trying to Teach us a lesson. God was trying to tell us, that YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY HOW YOU ARE BORN. AND YOU WILL OUR-GROW YOUR DIFFICULT SITUATION.
My best friend reminded me of this lesson several years ago. Its a story I will never forget, His car had just broken down on the side of a road in South Carolina, he had no money, and was already behind in his rent. He has recently started a new business and he was on his way to meet a new client for lunch. He was tired, frustrated and hurt. And as he talked to me, waiting for Road Side assistance, he said, "ROHO, this is terrible right now, my car just broke down, I have no money, but where I am is not who I am." These words stuck with me like few other times in my life. I knew immediately that he was talking to himself, motivating himself, not me. But he blessed me that day and when I have been at my lowest, unsure of how I was going to make it, I told myself those same words, "ROHO, where I am is not who I am."
Life is guaranteed to have trials and tribulations. You may wish for all good days with clear skies, however the Bible says," The rains fall on the just and unjust" Therefore you will have your share of moments of turmoil and despair. I know you are going through some struggles right now, and I just want to speak into your life, and remind you of God's truth concerning you. If you find yourself at your wits end and you feel like giving you, tell yourself this DIVINE TRUTH---GOD HAS DESTINED ME FOR GREATER, BECAUSE WHERE I AM IS NOT WHO IS AM.
Scripture for Meditation
Luke 2:7 — "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." The King of Kings entered this world in poverty and obscurity, beloved. Jesus came not in palace halls but in a stable—not to validate your circumstances, but to declare that your origin does not determine your destiny.
Romans 8:28 — "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Family, even the broken-down car, the empty bank account, the delayed dreams—God is weaving them into your purpose. Your present situation is not your final address; it is your preparation ground.
Proverbs 23:7 — "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." What you believe about yourself in the midst of the storm matters more than the storm itself. When you declare "where I am is not who I am," you are speaking the language of faith—you are refusing to let your address become your identity.
Walking It Out
First: Write down one difficult circumstance you're facing right now. Beside it, write the truth: "This is where I am, but it is not who I am." Read it aloud three times today, letting the words anchor your spirit in your true identity in Christ.
Second: Identify one area where you've allowed your present struggle to define your future potential. This week, take one small action toward that dream—a phone call, a research session, a conversation. Movement, not magnitude, reminds you that you are more than your current condition.
Third: Share this devotional message with someone you know who is discouraged. Your willingness to speak hope into another's darkness will strengthen your own faith and create a community of believers who refuse to be defined by their circumstances.
A Prayer for You
Father God, I thank You for the gift of Jesus, who showed us that our beginnings do not decide our endings. Help me today to separate my situation from my identity, my circumstances from my calling. When I am tempted to believe that where I am is all I will ever be, remind me that You are still working, still building, still preparing me for purposes greater than I can see. Give me the courage of my friend's confession: where I am is not who I am. In Jesus' name, Amen.
About the Author
Rev. Nicholas S. Richards is an ordained minister, author of Destiny DNA, and founder of ROHO. For over 11 years, he has written more than 6,000 daily devotionals reaching believers worldwide. Learn more about Rev. Richards.