Breaking Free From Old Labels: Letting Go of the Stories That Shrink Us
“Do not remember the former things… behold, I am doing a new thing.”
— Isaiah 43:18–19
God isn’t asking us to erase our past. He’s inviting us to stop letting it define who we are becoming. Every new beginning with Him starts here — with release, with trust, with a holy unclenching of the labels we never meant to carry.
January often stirs up the desire for fresh starts. We feel the pull to reset, rewrite, or reinvent. Yet before anything new can take root, something old must loosen its grip. For many of us, that “old thing” is a story, a label, or a belief that has quietly shaped how we see ourselves for years.
The Labels We Didn’t Mean to Carry
Labels attach themselves quietly. Some rise from childhood experiences. Others come through heartbreak, difficult seasons, or unmet expectations. Even more, still others develop slowly through comparison and pressure.
Words like:
Not enough.
Too much.
You’re too emotional.
Too independent.
Too broken.
Behind.
Damaged.
Hard to love.
These names were never ours to hold. Nevertheless, they linger.
Eventually, labels settle into our identity. They influence how we make decisions, shape our confidence, and even color how we imagine God sees us. However, God has never spoken to us through condemnation. He has never defined us by our wounds. Because of this He has never agreed with the lies that shrink our identity.
He is doing a new thing within us— even in the places where we still feel stuck.
Why These Stories Stick to Us
Old labels often remain because they feel familiar. Sometimes it seems easier to cling to a story we already know than to step into an identity we’ve never seen. Furthermore, these labels can feel like explanations for our past or protection from future harm.
As a result, the enemy loves when we stay small. He loves when we forget who we are. He loves when shame becomes the loudest voice in the room.
Thankfully, God’s voice tells a different story. His truth lifts our chin, steadies our heart, and reminds us that our identity is rooted in His love, not in our history. What a beautiful message. If we can see our true selves in God’s eyes, we can change the narrative we tell ourselves everyday.
What God Does With Our Old Names
Throughout Scripture, God meets people right where their labels lived.
Sarai became Sarah, a woman of promise.
Jacob became Israel, a man with a calling.
Simon became Peter, the rock on which Christ would build His Church.
Saul became Paul, a witness of radical transformation.
God doesn’t just remove old names — He replaces them.
Our heavenly Father speaks identity.
The Almighty Creator speaks purpose.
He speaks truth that overrides every false story.
What He did for them, He still does for us.
A Gentle Path Forward
Letting go doesn’t have to be dramatic or overwhelming.
Transformation begins with small, honest steps.
This week, try:
1. Name one label that no longer belongs to you.
Say it out loud. Bring it into the light.
2. Ask God to show you the truth beneath it.
His voice is gentle, steady, and freeing.
3. Replace the label with Scripture.
Write your new identity somewhere you’ll see it often.
4. Release it daily.
Not by force — but by trust.
You don’t have to fight the old story.
Just stop feeding it.
We’re Moving Forward
Becoming the woman God sees requires making room for the identity He has been holding for us all along.
Next week, we’ll take this even deeper as we explore what it looks like to truly see ourselves through God’s eyes — not the world’s, not our past’s, and not our fears’.
Until then, stay close to this promise:
God is doing a new thing in you.
He is shaping your identity with love.
His hand is rewriting the labels you’ve carried.
And He delights in the woman you are becoming.
YOU ARE loved,
Leslie
