172: Discovering Your True Identity in a World of Lies
Main Points From the Show
On this episode of Longing for More, Vona Johnson and guest Elaine Briefman discuss the issue of “identity abuse” and how it can impact people’s lives. Elaine shares her personal struggle and how she overcame it with the help of God. The episode covers topics like forgiving those who have hurt us, aligning our identity with Christ, and understanding the laws of nature and free will.
Listeners will learn about the impact of identity abuse and how to recognize lies from the enemy. The episode ends with an invitation to hear more of Elaine’s work, learn how to create your own story in her 5 sentence framework, and watch her beautiful story of how God created each of us in a Youtube video. Connect with Elaine at identityabuse.com
Quotes from the Show
“I am the kind of person who likes to take complicated things and whittle them down and boil them down into the most basic things that people need to know and understand. And I created a five sentence framework for you to tell your story.” (It’s The Messenger Maker’s Five-Sentence Framework for Storytelling.)
— Elaine Briefman [00:03:18 → 00:04:03]
The Power of Voice: “When we’re lied about or lied to, it can really mess with our sense of self and our identity or sense of self worth, and it can mess us up. And it really messed me up. And it made me realize that my voice doesn’t matter.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:07:08 → 00:10:08]
Identity Abuse- Three Things You Need to Know: “Your uniqueness is eternally valuable to God… The second thing is, the enemy is going to lie to you every moment of every day, constantly. There’s going to be constant negative messages, and you can learn how to detect the lies. And then the third is you can choose. You can choose to believe the truth even when it doesn’t feel true. It’s a choice.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:10:11 → 00:13:42]
The Power of Forgiveness: “God asked me, could I forgive my dad while he was in the process of molesting me? That would be how deep it would have to go.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:15:07 → 00:17:04]
Why doesn’t God intervene when people do bad things?: “To be able to say that God is supposed to intervene every time somebody’s doing something bad would become a God that we don’t trust and a God that we would expect to do whatever we want whenever we ask.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:19:06 → 00:20:28]
The Misconception about God and Hardship: “I do not want anybody to believe that God causes these things to happen for our own growth.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:20:58 → 00:21:25]
Finding Meaning in Faith: “We have to get to the place where we’re able to talk to people about our spiritual condition.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:21:38 → 00:25:22]
The Power of Truth: “The truth doesn’t say it might set you free if you work hard enough. It says you will know the truth and it will set you free.”
— Elaine Briefman [00:28:37 → 00:29:39]
Verses Referenced
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:32 NIV
Resources
Connect with Elaine Briefman at www.identityabuse.com
Search this (and other episodes) on LongingForMore.xyz aka: SearchingForMore).
Discussion Questions:
1. How has your own perception of identity shifted throughout your life?
2. How can society’s beliefs about personal worth impact the way people see themselves?
3. Do you think religion plays a significant role in a person’s sense of identity? Why or why not?
4. How do you maintain faith in God even when it seems like they haven’t intervened in a negative situation?
5. What are some of the ways that relationships with family members can be hurtful or healing to a person’s sense of identity?
6. What role does forgiveness play in healing from emotional or physical abuse?
7. Do you agree with the idea that people can become stuck in negative beliefs about themselves, even if they are doing everything “right”? Why or why not?
8. What are some practical steps people can take to embrace their God-given identity and resist negative messages from outside sources?
9. How can a belief in God help individuals overcome feelings of unworthiness or inadequacy in the face of societal pressure to be perfect?
10. What role do you think community has in supporting individuals as they work to reshape their sense of self and embrace the truths that God has for them?
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I'm so glad you're here. Your soul is longing for more and you are finally ready to say yes! Yes to living the values God has placed in your heart so you can live in fulfillment and peace.
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