EP 114: Recreated, Not Renovated: Do You Know Who You Are in Christ?

Summary

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Podcast Summary: In Totality with Megan Ashley

Episode 114: Recreated, Not Renovated – Do You Know Who You Are in Christ?
Host: Megan Ashley | Guests: Jordan, Nicole, and additional speakers
Date: May 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of “In Totality,” hosted by Megan Ashley, tackles the profound topic of Christian identity—what it truly means to be “in Christ.” Through candid, scripture-based dialogue, Megan and her co-hosts explore how believers often wrap their identities around shifting worldviews, feelings, achievements, or group membership, rather than receiving the identity Christ gives as a complete rebirth—not just self-renovation. The conversation is dynamic and practical, offering both an honest look at struggles with identity and powerful encouragement rooted in biblical truth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & Setting the Tone

• Megan opens the episode (02:05) by questioning if Christians are facing an "identity crisis," explaining, “Do we really know who we are in Christ? It's something that just is always changing. Your identity can change. You can't trust your heart, guys.”
• She humorously admits the pitfalls of following feelings: “My heart is a mess. It's telling me to cuss this person out. It's telling me to not forgive. It's telling me to self-protect…” (02:15).

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Worldviews of Identity vs. Biblical Identity

Common Worldviews Analyzed (08:40–11:24)

Megan unpacks four flawed secular identity worldviews:

• Self-Discovery: “Be yourself, live your truth. Do you. But this assumes our inner selves are trustworthy…” (07:29).
• Achievement-Based: “Basing your identity on what you’ve achieved…parent, spouse, career—like, that's your identity” (08:49).
• Feeling-Based: “I feel this, therefore I become this. I am this…It's harmful to attach your identity to every feeling” (09:32).
• Fluidity Theory: “Judith Butler argues your identity is a constant shifting performance...If your identity is constantly shifting…there’s no assurance, and that creates anxiety” (09:49).
• Group Identity: “Now your identity is based on group—race, politics, whatever. We’re seeing this a lot right now…” (11:13).

The Core Problem:
“The common thread in all these flawed worldviews is that self is both subject and source, right? So we are the subject and we're the source. So I get to define who I am, what I am, what I do. I'm the source.” — Megan Ashley (11:23)

Contrast with Scripture:

• “The world says identity is discovered. Scripture says identity is declared. The world says the source is within, but Scripture says the source is God…” (12:09).

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Identity in Genesis: The Imago Dei

• Megan roots identity in Genesis 1, the Imago Dei: “You were created in the image and likeness of God…You did nothing to earn that. This means you have dignity, you have worth, you have value, and you have purpose” (13:00).
• “You didn’t have to earn dignity, you didn’t have to earn worth, you didn’t have to earn value, and you didn’t have to earn purpose. You were born with it.” — Megan Ashley (13:54)

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Trusting the Heart? Scripture’s Caution

• “The heart is deceitful, more deceitful than anything else, and incurable. Who can understand it? ...Stop listening to people who tell you to follow your heart...” (Jeremiah 17:9 quoted, 17:48)
• “If I go with that, then what am I?” (19:13)

Discussion:

• The team discusses how cultural advice to “follow your heart” is at odds with biblical wisdom due to our fallen, limited nature. Practical examples from their lives show how feelings are shifting and often unreliable (20:38).

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The Creator–Creation Analogy

• Megan shares a metaphor (35:15): “I felt like the Lord was like, picture yourself getting into the car…trying to make the car fly. But you didn’t create you. You don’t belong to you. You don’t get to say, Christian. If I say I'm a Christ follower, then ...I am the creation and he is the creator. Which means he gets to say right” (36:55–38:11).

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Recreated Not Renovated

Biblical Rebirth vs. Self-Improvement

• “If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature. The old has passed away, and now the new is here. This is not self-improvement language. This is dead to resurrection.” — Megan Ashley (2 Cor. 5:17, 40:55)
• Analogy: “Some people want God to renovate them, like a fixer-upper TV show...But if you only let Him fix certain rooms, you’re not a new creature. You’re just a renovated old house.” (41:34)

On Surrender:

• “You are being created again. You didn’t create yourself in the first place, and you’re not going to create yourself in this new life with Christ.” (42:23)
• “We have to understand that we are recreated, not renovated.” (42:17)
• “When we try to add Christ to us instead of just letting him recreate us…when we want a renovated Christianity instead of a reborn Christianity, it’s not sustainable. It’s a Jimmy rig. And eventually it’s going to fall apart.” (44:21)

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The Location of Identity: In Christ

• “Our identity is not primarily about a personality, a history or achievement, or even the wounds, but our identity is a location...in Christ. That is my identity.” (54:58)
• “Everything that is true about Christ is credited to us. And everything that was true about our old self was crucified in Him.” (55:56)
• “So when I stand before God, I stand with his record…Thank God. I mean, whew. Because my resume—I’m not getting hired, you understand?” (56:52)

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What Does It Mean to Live as God’s Child?

• Megan and the team discuss childlike faith:
  “Children entrust themselves to their parent. My kids have never asked me, ‘Are we going to eat tomorrow?’ That’s the security God wants for us as Father.” (46:37)

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Sanctification: Process, Surrender, and Faithfulness

• “Sanctification is an ongoing process—bringing your experience, sense of self, into alignment with your declared identity in Christ…Relax and yield yourself to the pace at which God is sanctifying you...” (72:04)
• “A lot of times we’ll let the Lord be the founder, but we want to be the perfecter. And you’re not. You’re not either. So relax.” (73:10)

Letting Go of the Old:

• “You cannot hold on to the old you and be new.” (66:58)
• “You have to let go of all the old—the past, the mistakes, the failures, the pain…Because it cannot come alongside of where he wants to take you.” (70:32)

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Actionable Reflections

• “Ask yourself, if I were to stand before the Lord today, would he say, ‘Well done’? Would he say, ‘You were faithful’? …I’m not asking if you’ve been perfect. I’m asking if you’ve been faithful.” (75:46)
• “He’s not looking for perfection. He’s looking for participation and faithfulness. So just be faithful. Look to him every day.” (78:15)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My heart is a mess. It’s telling me to cuss this person out. It’s telling me to not forgive. It’s telling me to self-protect, self-preserve. …I should not follow my heart.” — Megan Ashley (02:15)
• “We are recreated, not renovated. …If you let God make you new, then who gets the glory? He does.” — Megan Ashley (42:17)
• “Everything that is true about Christ is credited to us. Everything that is true about our past, that was crucified with Christ.” — Megan Ashley (55:56)
• “Sanctification is an ongoing process…” — Megan Ashley (72:04)
• “Ask yourself, if I were to stand before the Lord today, would he say, ‘Well done’? Not asking if you’ve been perfect…just: Have you been faithful?” — Megan Ashley (75:46)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:05 — Opening Thoughts on Christian Identity Crisis
• 07:29–11:24 — Flawed Worldviews of Identity
• 13:00 — Identity and the Imago Dei (Genesis)
• 17:48 — “The heart is deceitful” (Jeremiah 17:9) Discussion
• 20:38 — Why Following Your Heart Fails
• 35:15 — Creator–Creation Metaphor (Car Manual)
• 40:55 — Recreated, Not Renovated (2 Cor. 5:17)
• 42:23 — Surrender & True Newness in Christ
• 55:56 — “Everything That Is True about Christ Is Credited to Us”
• 66:58 — Conservation of Momentum Analogy (Letting Go for Growth)
• 70:32 — Letting Go of the Old in Sanctification
• 72:04 — Sanctification as Ongoing Process
• 75:46 — Have You Been Faithful? The Final Reflection

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Overall Tone and Invitation

Megan and the team speak with warmth, humor, and unwavering biblical clarity. They candidly share personal struggles and scriptural wisdom, creating a safe, challenging space for listeners to reflect and draw closer to God. Megan closes with encouragement and a call:
“We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for participation and faithfulness…Just be faithful. Look to Him every day. That’s the goal.”

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Useful For:
Anyone grappling with questions of self-worth, purpose, or how faith shapes personal identity. Especially rich for Christians eager to ground their sense of self in Scripture, let go of unhelpful narratives, and embrace the freedom of new life in Christ.

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Transcript

[Podcast Host (Ad)]

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[Megan Ashley]

Before we jump into today's episode, I want to share something close to my heart. Our In Totality Patreon community, the Village if you ever listen to the podcast and you thought, wow, I really wish there was more, this is exactly why I created this space. You'll receive early access to every episode, so while others are hearing it for the first time, you'll already be watching it and soaking it in. But it's not just that. You'll also get access to the In Totality docuseries, which is like my vlog, which shows what do when I'm not on the podcast. And that's not it. You'll also be the first to know about Merch Drops, events and opportunities to connect in real life. One of my favorite parts is our Bible study and book clubs where we're walking through scripture together and encouraging one another in the faith. On Patreon, we are building a community that truly desires a relationship with the Lord, pursues truth, and supports one another. And I would love for you to be a part of that. So if you want more, come join the Village on Patreon. The link is in the descript and I can't wait to see you there. Are we having kind of an identity crisis in the Christian context? Do we really know who we are in Christ? It's something that just is always changing. Your identity can change. You can't trust your heart, guys. And I know that there is tons of stuff out there that's just like, oh, just, you know, follow your heart. My heart is a mess. It's telling me to cuss this person out. It's telling me to not forgive. It's telling Me to self protect. I should not follow my heart because of sin. We are naturally bent to go away from God when we try to add Christ to us instead of just letting him recreate us. When we want a renovated Christianity instead of a reborn Christianity, it's not sustainable. You cannot sustain your life because you didn't create it. Everything that is true about Christ is credited to us. And everything that was true about our old self was crucified in him. What's up, you guys? Welcome back to another episode of In Totality. I'm your host, Megan Ashley, and I'm back with the team. Hey, guys. I hope they seen it too. I hope they seen it. Put the lid.

[Jordan]

Oh, Jordan. Before you said team. Hi,

[Megan Ashley]

Jordan. Oh, man, I really wish we had a stream like Twitch. Like, people need to see who you really are.

[Jordan]

I think people can get a good.

[Megan Ashley]

Really?

[Nicole]

I feel like the Angie Stone that definitely. I was like, okay, there's a range here.

[Megan Ashley]

Angie Stone. What happened with Angie Stone when we

[Jordan]

were talking about neo soul? Yeah. I just feel like by the looks of me, like, people can probably take a guess, like, oh, she probably. I feel like I look. I give off. Goofy Jordan.

[Nicole]

I don't think so.

[Megan Ashley]

Thank you.

[Nicole]

At all.

[Jordan]

Goofy.

[Nicole]

No.

[Megan Ashley]

Well, Jay's not on the mic right now, but I think Jay would be able to. People do not know, but do I.

[Jordan]

I feel like I at least look like it, though.

[Megan Ashley]

No, you don't. I think people see Jordan and they're like, she's so sweet and quiet and reserved. Jordyn is a crazy person. I don't think people.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

It's the in betweens, you know, in between her being cool or in between her just kind of, you know, just being a fashionista. It's. Yeah. You a little off, too.

[Megan Ashley]

She is. There is something.

[Jordan]

I don't know what I'm saying. Cause I feel like I give that, but I guess not.

[Megan Ashley]

You don't. Jordan, I think people really look at you and be like, wow, she's so cool.

[Jordan]

And how you look like how we look at Mila. I feel like I get like people look at me like that, like. Well, no. Cause people don't know that Mila would act like that. Correct.

[Megan Ashley]

That's what I'm saying. People have no idea the type of things that you do.

[Jordan]

Yeah.

[Nicole]

Love it, though.

[Megan Ashley]

But we love you. Yeah.

[Jordan]

Oh, yeah. 100% love it.

[Megan Ashley]

Oh, yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Y' all love me. All right.

[Jordan]

Y' all love me.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nicole]

Literally, I came in today and I was about to Be like, where's Jordan?

[Jordan]

I was downstairs getting ready, girl.

[Megan Ashley]

I love that. I love that you have the freedom to just be you.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

There's a safe space for you to definitely be.

[Megan Ashley]

There's a safe place for you to be you. Yeah. And you know who you are. And that's good to know.

[Jordan]

And I don't have no shame about it.

[Megan Ashley]

I love that. I pray that. I pray that everybody. And it's so funny because that's kind of what we're talking about today is identity. And I think it's really important that everybody has a sense of who they really are and a sense of identity. And I feel like, I don't know, maybe identity crisis has always been a thing. I guess because my focus is more in the Christian context, like, who are we in Christ? I think, like, there's always been like an identity thing in general with humanity. But I think, like, right now I'm kind of thinking like, and observing like, are we having kind of an identity crisis in the Christian context? Like, do we really know who we are in Christ? And I've just been like thinking through that. And I think it's important that if, you know, if you are in the faith, that you now have a biblical lens of identity. Like I said, I've just been thinking a lot through this and I'm studying it and it's one of the chapters in the book Beloved by Francis Chance. So because we're studying this in the village community, we're reading the book and chapter three is about identity. I started to just think about identity broadly. Not so much like specifically everything that Francis said in the book, but I was just thinking about it broadly and I started to look up all of these like, worldviews of identity. And you guys can tell me if you've ever heard this, but these are like, these are really interesting to me. So the first one was self discovery, where basically it's like you looking inward to define who you are, right? So it's like it's that whole narrative of like, be yourself, live your truth. Do you. And I think we hear that a lot right now. It's just, do you Be you Be whoever you want to be, right? Live your truth, whatever the truth that lives on the inside of you, that's who you are, right? And this whole self discovery narrative is so harmful because it assumes that our inner selves are trustworthy. We have. I think it's really important. I was telling the village community this, like, it's really important that we have a, that we have knowledge of what a worldview is so that we can make sure that we're not falling into a worldview of identity, but we're really falling into a biblical lens of identity. And so if you're living this, you're living your life and you're like, I get to say, I get to say who I am and I'm just going to live my truth, whatever, you know, whatever. But we already know, like scripture tells us in multiple. There's multiple scriptures where it tells us that we can't trust ourselves, right? And so like this whole, this self discovery, identity thing, and then there's like the achievement and it's basing your identity all about what you've been able to achieve. So whether that's relationally or as a parent, or maybe I'm a wife or I've, I've made these goals or I've done these things, or I have a number one podcast, or I have a New York Times bestseller book, or I had a conference, 7,000 people, and it was amazing. And that's my, you know, whatever it is, it's like basing your identity off of your achievement. That's another world view of identity, right? And this is the biggest one that I don't like. If you know me, I don't like it. And at the same time, it's also something that I know, I struggle with is the feeling attaching your identity to how you feel. So I feel this, therefore I become this. I am this. Like, I feel like when people are like, well, I'm just an introvert. So now that's my identity.

[Nicole]

Great example.

[Megan Ashley]

Whatever it is that you feel, it's like, well, I'm just moody. You know, you hear people, really, this is just how I am. Take it or leave it. Like, this is just me, you know, and it kind of ties into that self discovery a little bit where it's just like, live your truth. Like, well, this is just how I

[Jordan]

am and so be it.

[Megan Ashley]

So be it. Like sanctifying how we feel and deeming it as okay because it's how we feel, right? And you could put that in several different ways. But whatever the feeling is, taking that feeling and attaching your identity to the feeling, right? That's a worldview of, of how to identify or to have identity, right? And then there's this whole, like fluidity theory. And I found this interesting because there's a philosopher, Judith Butler, who argues that identity is not fixed, but it's a constant shifting performance in construction. So it's like, it's Something that just is always changing. Your identity can change at any point in time. It's never something that's solid, but it's something that can change. And the problem, I think with this is that I think it produces a lot of anxiety because what do you have assurance in? If your identity is constantly shifting from one thing to another or identity itself is fluid, then there's no assurance. And I think that that can produce anxiety and uneasiness. Right? So I was just looking at all of these, like, different worldviews, and I think that, like, when I looked at all of them, I wrote down the common thread in all of these flawed worldviews is that self is both subject and source, right? So we are the subject and we're the source. So I get to define who I am, what I am, what I do. I'm the source.

[Nicole]

Very problematic.

[Megan Ashley]

And this is very problematic because I just think about myself and I'm like, if I just entrust myself to myself, I should be put away. Strap me up. Because I should not. Honestly, like, if I was to ba. Like, if I just left myself to myself and how I felt, yeah, I think I would be really, really jacked up. So anyway, as I was looking through all of this, I was like, okay, well, now that I've looked through, like a worldview, and there's also. There's another. There's another worldview that's about group identity, where you place yourself in the, like, race or politics or like, now your identity is based the group that you are a part of. Right? We're seeing this a lot right now. Where we put our race above who we are in Christ, where we put our politics above and our political parties above scripture and what God says and all that. Like, we see a lot of that. So, like, rooting our identity in any of these things, whether it's self discovery, whether it's achievement, whether it's feelings, whether it's group membership, whether. Whether it's fluid, any of these type of things that we're identifying ourselves in is a worldview. And I want to be clear on who I'm talking to. I'm talking to the Christian. I. I need you to be very clear. If you're not a Christian, I'm not talking to you. Not to say that you can't listen. Happy you're here, but I'm not talking to you. I'm saying this is wrong. These ways of thinking are wrong if you are a Christian. These ways of identifying are wrong if you are a Christian. Right? And I'll explain why. When I look at the worldview and then I look at Scripture, I see that the world says identity is discovered, right? But Scripture says identity is declared. The world says the Source is within, but Scripture says the source is God. The world says that your identity is built on your feelings, but Scripture says your identity is built on truth. The world says identity is earned through performance. But Scripture says identity is earned or not earned, but received by grace, right? The world says that identity is fragile and shifting, but Scripture says that it's hidden and secure through Christ. The worldview of identity says it's self authoritative, but Scripture says that it's God that is the authority. I think we have to look at that and see where am I lining myself up with. When I think about who I am and I think about my identity, am I. Am I falling more into this worldview of identity, or am I falling more into Scripture and what the Bible says that identity is? Have I allowed the Lord to be Lord, or have I been Lord in my life? Have I been the Source? Have I been the authority? Or have I allowed the Lord to be the authority? We have to. We have to interrogate that. You have to pause, take inventory of your life, take inventory of your thoughts, take inventory of your actions, and ask yourself, where am I lining up with this when it comes to who I am? Am I lining up with the world or am I lining up with Scripture, right? And so identity starts with the Amago day, right? Which is the image of Christ. We are image bearers. This starts off in Genesis 1. We are made in the likeness of God, the image and likeness of God. That is where our identity starts. So we know from the beginning, in Mego Day, this is Genesis 1:26:27, that we are created in the image and likeness of God, right? We know that. We can see from that, just that alone, right? You were created in the image and likeness of God. You did nothing to earn that. You did nothing to deserve that. You came out of your mother's womb created in the image, in the likeness of God, right? This is not earned or developed or contingent upon your behavior. This is just. This just is with that this means. And I. I felt like I really needed to lean into this last night. And I feel like I'm going to lean into it right now. This means that you have dignity, you have worth, you have value, and you have purpose. Maybe no one has ever told you that. Maybe you don't feel that. But I want you to know that because the Creator God made you in his Image and likeness means that you have dignity, you have worth, you have value, and you have purpose. Pause. Let that sink in. Take that in for a second. Believe that you didn't have to earn dignity, you didn't have to earn worth, you didn't have to earn value, and you didn't have to earn purpose. You were born with it. And I know there are so many of us who feel like we have to earn that or have had to earn it or still striving to earn it, but I want to interrupt that lie and tell you that you were born with dignity and value and worth and a purpose, and that you are special because you are made in the image and likeness of God. That's a big deal. And don't take that lightly. Don't just let that be a fleeting thought that's like, oh. But really soak that in. That is a beautiful fact about your life. And I pray to God that that penetrates your heart and that you really believe that. I was talking. I was talking through identity with the Patreon community. And we have scriptures, like, I mean, you can look through all the Romans one and Paul's gonna tell you everything that's wrong with humanity. Jordan, you know, you read Jordan went through Romans. That girl was in that book. And if you just read Romans 1, especially 18 through, like, the rest of it, he is just, like, going hard on sin. And another thing, we have clear picture even in Jeremiah. This is Jeremiah 17:9. The heart is deceitful, more deceitful than anything else, and incurable. Who can understand it? I, the Lord, examine the mind and test the heart. Stop listening to people tell you to follow your heart. Stop listening to people who tells you that your heart is deceitful. It cannot be trusted unless your heart is fully rooted and cemented in Christ. Unless he has captured that heart and he has full reign and lordship over that heart. And you are cementing and surrendering and rooting your heart in him every single day. Not the only time at salvation, but, like, every day. You're giving him your heart. You can't trust your heart, guys. And I know that there is tons of stuff out there that's just like, oh, just, you know, follow your heart. And that sounds so beautiful, right? Follow your heart. What is your heart telling you? My heart is a mess.

[Nicole]

It's telling me confusion.

[Jordan]

The opposite.

[Megan Ashley]

It's telling me to cuss this person out. It's telling me to not forgive. It's telling me to self protect, self preserve. It's telling me to go inside it's telling me to be fearful, I'm anxious, I, I should not follow my heart. It's telling me to fall in love with a boy. It's telling me that I need to get married tomorrow. It's telling me that I want to have sex. It's telling me I need to drink, I need to smoke. A blunt is telling me I need to jump off a bridge. Seriously, you know what I'm saying? Like those are the type of things that my heart has told me. So if I go with that, then what am I?

[Jordan]

And listen to the people that are saying these things in the sense of going with your heart and even to the identity theories and all of that stuff. Like as Christians we do have to consider the source. And if you aren't in Christ and you don't know your word, there's only so much that they can go back to, which is why that's good. It's the individual is the self, that's the furthest, you know, which is why it ended up being, yeah, self preservation. I'm doing this for me, me, me, me, me and protecting. Because you don't know anything outside of yourself that's good. But as a Christian you do.

[Nicole]

What is the evidence and what is the fruit of the source? You know, like the person who's saying follow your heart in the same way, it's like, why are they qualified?

[Jordan]

Yeah, it does make sense biologically. But it only makes sense biologically if you are keeping the creator of the biology in mind. But if you're just going based on science, then it' okay, yeah, self discovery, yes, you should protect yourself, that's what you should do. Because that's what your body, body is naturally gonna do. But you gotta filter that information through another part. And a non believer don't know like that's where it stops. So it's like, yeah, I had to argue that in school a lot. So that's the only reason why when

[Megan Ashley]

I was studying this, there's this psychiatrist, Timothy Wilson, and his research shows that we are genuinely strangers to ourselves. That like we actually really never really know us. And I think if you just practically think about this, and I give this example a lot, I'm like, think about when you were 15 and 16 or 19 or 20, you thought you knew everything. I know, I'm right there. You can't tell me nothing. I know this is the right decision, I know this is the best thing. But then in hindsight, I'm 36 years old now and I think about decisions that I Made even five years ago. And I'm like, you are a dumb, dumb. Why did you do that? But in that moment, you couldn't tell me I wasn't right? You couldn't tell me that I didn't make the right decision. I had all the logic to. You know what I'm saying? But that in and of itself, to sh. The fact that we can look hindsight on the decisions that we made and knowing how sure we were when we made those decisions, that. That in and of itself proves that you actually don't know. You know what I mean? You can never really trust yourself because you don't know. And a lot of times we think that we're infinite and we're not. We're finite. So we. We're not able to see through every consequence of every decision, which is why it's so important that we trust ourselves to the Lord, because he's the One who knows the days ahead of us. He knows our end from our beginning. We don't. And so if I'm just leaving, up to me, like, yeah, I can. I can maybe think five, ten steps ahead of this decision and be like, okay, well, maybe these are the possible outcomes. But ultimately, I don't really know the full extent and the full consequence of it, of decision. Only God does.

[Jordan]

Yeah, we prove that every day as individuals, as a society, we.

[Megan Ashley]

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Okay, y', all, listen. It's May, which means it's Mental Health Awareness Month. And I feel like we need to take a second and chat about this really quick, because if you've been listening to this podcast for any amount of time, you know that I believe deeply in doing the inner work, meaning addressing sometimes the uncomfortable and quiet parts. You haven't said out loud to anyone, and I'll be honest with you, there are things that sit with me that I'm still working through to this day. I've learned that trying to carry all of our weight alone doesn't make us strong. It makes us tired. We were never meant to feel, figure everything out by ourselves. And sometimes the most courageous thing that we can do is let someone in. Someone trained, unbiased, and who's there for us to just listen and understand better. Help makes that really accessible. They're the world's largest online therapy platform with over 30,000 licensed therapists, and they've served over 6 million people globally. They do the matching work for you through a short questionnaire. And with over 12 years of experience, they typically get it right the first time. And if it's not the right fit. You can switch therapists at any time. Over 1.7 million client reviews, an average of 4.9 out of 5. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck or anxious, those feelings are more common than we think. And this month is a good reminder to check in with yourself and take the step towards feeling lighter. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find the support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] totality that's better. Help H glp.com totality all right guys, back to the conversation. Believe it or not, there are some believers in the Christian faith who spend years thinking that they're broken or failing God because they're struggling with unwanted, distressing thoughts. But this isn't a spiritual failure. These thoughts could be due to a common but overlooked condition, ocd. I'm talking about thoughts that interrupt worship. Like am I praying right? Will God forgive me if I make a mistake in my prayer? I. I need to start over. I need to do it perfectly this time. Or maybe a blasphemous image that pops into your head that makes you feel like you've sinned just for thinking it. Unwanted thoughts like these can be a sign of a type of religious ocd, also known as scrupulosity ocd. It's a form of OCD that can turn your faith into a source of constant guilt, doubt and fear. But because the condition is still widely misunderstood, a lot of people don't even know that it can show up in this way, or even that it can center around their faith. But OCD isn't just about being neat or organized. Like most stereotypes suggest, OCD latches on to what you care about most, causing a cycle of distressing, intrusive thoughts and behaviors done to get rid of the anxiety they create, like praying until it feels just right or trying to solve or figure out your thoughts. But any relief of these type of behaviors is short lived. So the cycle begins again. Many people silently struggle with religious ocd, thinking it's some sort of personal failure or lack of faith where that may not be the case. It's a common type of OCD and highly treatable with the right kind of specialized therapy. And that's where no CD comes in. No CD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider. All of these licensed therapists are trained in erp, or Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, the most effective treatment for ocd. No CD therapists deeply understand ocd, so they know that these thoughts don't mean anything about you. In live virtual sessions, they'll help you break free from OCD's grip while honoring your faith so you can get back to focusing on what matters the most. No CD is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans, and they provide support between sessions. So you're never going at this alone. If you think you might be struggling with any kind of OCD, don't wait. Head over to nocd.com and book a free 15 minute call with their team today and start reclaiming your thoughts from ocd. That's no cd dot com. That's no C d dot com.

[Jordan]

Clearly don't know the extent of the. We clearly cannot govern ourselves.

[Megan Ashley]

Think about social media. I think when the idea of social media started, we probably thought this was like the greatest thing ever, right? The Internet, social media. We were probably like, this is amazing, this is brilliant. And now we are looking, we're, we're in it right now currently, and we're seeing, based off of science and based off of people, we are seeing how damaged we are becoming as a society, as a human race because of what we thought was going to be so great. It can be great when you do it the right way.

[Jordan]

When there's like, when the intent, when

[Megan Ashley]

the motive is in the right. When the intent and the motive is good, right? I think social media is beautiful. It is. God is using it to expand the gospel, to spread the gospel all over. Like this is great. But when, but when it's not with him in mind, when it's not to glorify him, when it's not to magnify him, when you're not living a life where he is the center of everything and he gets to determine how you operate in this space, whether it's social media or whatever, right? Then it can be when he's not bad, then it's bad.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

And that, that concept applies to pretty much everything in life. Anything you do separate from God, it's a ticking time bomb, yo, you're gonna see quickly and you may, even for now it may seem is prospering. Maybe this is good, maybe this is profitable. Until it's like, no, actually this whole time I've been digging myself into a hole and now I'm realizing now I'm negatively impacting. I'm a danger to myself and others. With this thing that you did separate from God.

[Nicole]

It also, I mean, not to, I mean, bring politics, but it does make me think about politics. When you first mentioned, like thinking that you know, we are all knowing. It's like people were so confident, you know, like when they.

[Jordan]

Oh yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And this.

[Jordan]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And now we look, now we in a whole war. Y' all were so confident, weren't you? You just. And we're seeing that. We're seeing people being like, man, I wish I wouldn't have promoted this person. I wish I wouldn't have. I didn't know. And that shows that how all of our decisions have to be rooted into Christ. One thing that I wrote down that I thought was really, really important to like over emphasize is that Scripture shows us that we don't just misunderstand ourselves, but that we are bent away from God, which means we are bent away from the only one who truly knows us. Think about that. Because of sin, we are naturally bent to go away from God, which means we're bent away from going towards the one who actually fully believe it or not. There are some believers in the Christian faith who spend years thinking that they're broken or failing God because they're struggling with unwanted, distressing thoughts. But this isn't a spiritual failure. These thoughts could be due to a common but overlooked condition, ocd. I'm talking about thoughts that interrupt worship, like, am I praying right? Will God forgive me if I make a mistake in my prayer? I need to start over. I need to do it perfectly this time. Or maybe a blasphemous image that pops into your head that makes you feel like you sin just for thinking it. Unwanted thoughts like these can be a sign of a type of religious ocd, also known as scrupulosity ocd. It's a form of OCD that can turn your faith into a source of constant guilt, doubt and fear. But because the condition is still widely misunderstood, a lot of people don't even know that it can show up in this way, or even that it can center around their faith. But OCD isn't just about being neat or organized like most stereotypes suggest. OCD latches on to what you care about most, causing a cycle of distressing, intrusive thoughts and behaviors done to get rid of the anxiety they create. Like praying until it feels just right or trying to solve or figure out your thoughts. But any relief of these type of behaviors is short lived. So the cycle begins again. Many people silently struggle with religious ocd, thinking it's some sort of personal failure or lack of faith, where that may not be the case. It's a common type of OCD and highly treatable with the right kind of specialized therapy. And that's where no CD comes in. No CD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider. All of these licensed therapists are trained in ERP, or Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy, the most effective treatment for ocd. No CD therapist deeply understand ocd, so they know that these thoughts don't mean anything about you. In live virtual sessions, they'll help you break free from OCD's grip while honoring your faith so you can get back to focusing on what matters the most. No CD is covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans, and they provide support between sessions. So you're never going at this alone. If you think you might be struggling with any kind of OCD, don't wait. Head over to nocd.com and book a free 15 minute call with their team today and start reclaiming your thoughts from OCD. That's NOCD.com that's N O C D.com knows us. And if you ask any person what is their number one longing is to be known, to be seen, to be loved. That's what we all, all want. And we look for all the other. Megan, you know, means to, to give that for us so that we can have an identity. Because I think that that forms your identity. Who sees you, who loves you, who knows you, that forms your identity. And we are naturally bent away from the one who always has seen us, who has always loved us, and who has known us before we even were placed in our mother's womb. Think about that. To me, that was just like, oh, wow. I have lived so much of my life running away from the one who actually can fulfill the very desire that I have and that I've always had is to be known and loved and seen. And I think we have to, we have to. I don't know, just take a pause and really think through that. Like when I'm, when I'm feeling tired and this is one of the questions I asked Patreon last night. Like when I feel unseen, when I feel unloved, when I feel unknown, when I feel misunderstood, what do I run to? And for the Christian I'm asking again, I'm talking to the Christians. Ask yourself. Interrogate that. Where am I running to? The second my heart is broken, the second I'm disappointed, the second I feel left out, the second I feel misunderstood, where am I running? Am I running to social media? I feel like I'm not getting enough attention or affirmation. So I'm going to hurry up and post something because that dopamine of the likes is A quick hit. So now it's like, oh, they like me.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

And it pulls me out of the discomfort of all those different feelings you just mentioned. Because we might not be running to something. We just want to get. No longer feel this. We don't want to feel the discomfort of wanting to. Or being unloved or. What were the other ones you mentioned?

[Megan Ashley]

Unloved, unseen, misunderstood.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

That's uncomfortable.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

So it's like, what can pull me out of this as fast as I can? Where am I finding my peace? What. What do I go to that gives me comfort? What alleviates this?

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

I think somebody who exalts their own cognitions of, like, I know best. You disregard the actual concept of you being a created thing.

[Megan Ashley]

Correct.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Someone created you.

[Megan Ashley]

Correct.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

You didn't birth yourself. You didn't come from yourself. Somebody molded you.

[Megan Ashley]

Correct.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Therefore, there is someone who knows you better than you do.

[Megan Ashley]

Do.

[Nicole]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

You disregard that entire design of what life is.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. Yeah. Just to go off of that creator and creation. I was telling Patreon last night, I always. I think the Lord, like, gave me a picture of, like, let me show you. You. The Lord has to give me. He has to show me. Like, I need an example. Like, show. I need you to show me. Me in a way where I can, like, understand it. Like, I need a metaphor. Give me some sort of metaphor. Right? And so I felt like the Lord was like, picture yourself getting into the car, right? And the creator of that car is standing outside of it, Right. Watching you. And you get into this car and you are doing all. You are just doing all this stuff to make the car fly. You are, I mean, revving up the engine. You in here doing spark plugs, and you just doing all types of stuff. You putting the wrong fuel. And your whole thing is, I'm gonna make this car fly. So I'm just gonna do all this stuff to try to make this car fly. And imagine the person who created that vehicles watching you trying to do something that the car was never created to do. That car wasn't created to fly. It was created to drive. It was never created for that. And you think that you are so smart and you are so grand that you can make a thing do what it was never created to do and it and it still be functioning. Think about that. And I feel like God is looking at us on the outside of this car parked.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

And it's not like he's unreachable. He's actually waiting for you to consolidate

[Megan Ashley]

him in and think about this. And I'm saying you getting into the car not knowing what this thing was created to do, but in your mind you've decided that I'm going to make it fly. But all you got to do is reach into that glove department and get the manual. And that thing is going to tell you exactly what that car was created to do. It, it's going to tell you very clear this wasn't created to fly. This was created with wheels to be on the ground and to drive forward, maybe do a little parallel back, right? But it's to get you from point A to point B. That's what this car was created for. It was never created to hover around and fly. That's what airplanes for, not a car. But. But it's the manual that tells you what this thing was created to do. And it is the creator who creates the manual to give instruction for the created thing. We gotta start seeing our. We're not the creator. We are not. You did not create you. And I know the world has told you that. You have the right to say everything about yourself and you have the autonomy to choose. But you didn't create you. You don't belong to you. You don't get to say Christian. If I say I'm a Christ follower, then I'm saying that I have come into the understanding in the agreement that I didn't create me. I don't have lordship over me. I am the creation and he is the creator. Which means he gets to say right. And that goes into the identity right of being Reborn. This is 2 Corinthians 5, 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old has passed away. And see, the new has come. Okay, so again I'm talking to the Christians, right? If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature. The old has passed away and now the new is here. This is not self improvement language. This is dead to resurrection language. This is not a self improvement. Now listen, I told Patreon the other night, I said look, I loved ht, hgtv. I used to watch it all the time. I don't watch it any because I don't have cable. And I think cable has really changed the things. I know HGTV is still a thing, but like I think having cable, it just was easier for me to get to that channel. And that was just what I. But I used to watch it a lot. And I loved, loved, loved, loved home improvement shows. Like I really did. I loved a home improvement show. I personally love seeing a fixer upper right. Like I Love seeing them take a really raggedy old house and flipping it and making it something like super grand and super beautiful, right? And there were some of these shows where they. These teams, like this celebrity home improvement team would come in and they would like fix up the. The house. But they would only fix up a few rooms, right? They would do like the kitchen or maybe like the front room or maybe a bathroom, or maybe they would do like a finished basement or something like that. But. But sometimes the camera would pan and you would see this room don't match. Like, oh, gotcha. This room is still giving 90s and this room is given two. Like, I would see that. Like these rooms don't match. And I think this is kind of the approach that we have with Christianity. When we come into Christ, we're like, oh, you can fix up the kitchen, you can face up the front room. Like maybe, maybe. You know what, Lord? You can do like the main level where everyone's gonna. The surface a portion, you can have that. But like, don't worry about the basement. Cause I ain't gonna let nobody down there. And don't worry about the upstairs. Cause that ain't none of these business. But go ahead and fix that front room and that guest bathroom and the kitchen, you know what I mean? And maybe fix up my living room. Cause I like to entertain. But the problem with that is, is that now you're not a new creature. You're just a. You've just added. Now it's Christ, Anne. Now I've just. Lord, I've allowed you to fix some areas of my life, but I won't let you touch other areas of your life.

[Jordan]

We both the Savior, we both play a part in this.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. And, and, and Second Corinthians is telling us what you gotta be new. Which means that we're not renovating, we are completely demolishing the old. And we're starting from the foundation of the Amago day. I'm starting with the fact that you are made in my image and likeness. And now we about to create a whole new you. To be in Christ means that you are new. So now we have to get rid of old patterns of thinking, right? Where Romans 12 tells us, do not be conformed to the patterns of this word, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Now we're. Now we have to have a new mind because our mind carries old patterns and old ways. So now we have to have a new way of thinking so that we can steward this new creation that Christ has given us. We have to understand that we are recreated, not renovated.

[Nicole]

And the key that you just said is we are recreated. Because even then you're not recreating.

[Megan Ashley]

Correct. You are being created again. You didn't create yourself in the first place, and you're not going to create yourself in this new life with Christ. You didn't get to say when you were born, and you don't get to say when you've been reborn. You just don't get to say. And I think we so badly sometimes just want a renovation. I want you to take the old me and just make it a little better. Clean it up a little bit. But he's like, no, I'm knocking all that down. I'm destroying all of it, and I'm going to make you new. Because if he allow. If you allow God to make you new, then who gets the glory in that? He does. But if you just allow him to renovate a few places, then you're sharing glory that you. That you have no right to share. We have to understand that he ain't sharing his glory with nobody, not even in your life.

[Nicole]

You're performing at the end of the day, like. Like, it's not real or true or

[Megan Ashley]

you're just adding Christ to you.

[Jordan]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

You're like, christ, you can just. You can partner with me instead of me partnering with you. And the Lord's not looking for that. He's looking to be Lord because it's not sustainable. That's what I was trying to.

[Nicole]

Yeah, it's like, eventually that's gonna be exposed. And now that you're going around and kind of like, I mean, this could sound specific, but it's like, yeah, if you're preaching that this has anything to do with the Lord, and then it's not sustainable. God's not getting the glory.

[Megan Ashley]

I also was thinking about kind of like those people. I almost said something. I don't wanna call nobody out. But those people who try to do home improvements and they like, you know what? I could do it. Like, me and Jordan always feel like

[Jordan]

we definitely got a home improvement.

[Megan Ashley]

We could do it. Like, let me just go to Home Depot and, like, look up a couple videos and, like, I could do it.

[Jordan]

Jimmy Rigg. That's exactly what you call it.

[Megan Ashley]

It's a Jimmy rig. Literally. And I feel like that's what in. Because when Nicole was talking about, when you're like, it's not sustainable. It's like, when you Jimmy Rig something, it's fixed momentarily, but eventually, because you haven't really fixed it. Because you haven't properly maintenanced it, it eventually is going to fall apart. And I think that that's the same way. When we try to add Christmas to us instead of just letting him recreate us, when we want a renovated Christianity instead of a reborn Christianity, it's not sustainable. It's a Jimmy rig. And eventually it's going to fall apart. It's not sustainable. You cannot sustain your life because you didn't create it.

[Jordan]

That's literally the whole point in coming to Christ. So as believers or non believers entering Christianity, be humble enough to know that once you're stepping into Christ and once you're asking to be renewed in a new creature, you are a child. And in what's. Would you ever tell a child that the child is partnering with you for decision making? Like, that's never the case. So you should go in with that same mindset with the Lord.

[Megan Ashley]

That's good. Because you. Because I would never let Eli, Jonah or Caleb tell me this is what we're gonna do. Huh?

[Jordan]

And you, like, I need you to take me somewhere, but I'm telling you, you gonna take me. It's like, it's never worked out that way.

[Megan Ashley]

And if you have been raised by a black woman, Try it.

[Nicole]

I was gonna say there are parents that do allow their children to dictate. They kind of run behind what the child. This new, like, gentle parenting, not to say all of it, but there are parts of it that they're pretty. They're literally telling people to allow your child to do whatever. And it's like.

[Jordan]

And we see. But you do eventually see the fruit, and the fruit isn't. If you're really letting your child tell you how to run them. You see the fruit and the fruit isn't good fru. So it's like, okay, we're seeing pros and cons. So clearly, spiritually, we definitely would need someone of higher authority that actually know us to actually survive in this new body. And this, like, there's no way. There's no way you can clean the kitchen and not my room. And I'm telling. And I feel like that's what I know that that's just crazy.

[Megan Ashley]

And I. And I think. I think what you said is so key. Is, like, we have to start seeing ourselves as children. And there's so much language in Scripture where Paul is saying, like, children when John is saying children. And like, there's so much language of adolescence, even Christ, childlike faith. Yeah. We have the words of Jesus saying, like, be like a child. And I think because a child, number one, a child isn't worried about anything because they completely entrusted themselves to their parent. So my kids have never asked me, like, are we gonna eat tomorrow? Am I gonna have clothes to put on tomorrow? Is the heat gonna be on tomorrow? Are we gonna have water? Whoa. Look.

[Jordan]

And some kids do have, have that struggle, like, where they do have to ask.

[Megan Ashley]

No, for sure. They, for sure. But I'm saying, I'm just giving the example for my children. There are, yeah, there definitely are people who have a different context, but it shouldn't be that way as a child. You should not have that experience.

[Nicole]

Well, even in some of those instances, the innocence of a child, even in some of those instances, depending on their age and their, you know, it's like some, like, even in those instances, there's, they still have trust and they're, they're

[Jordan]

more so just asking because it's a thing, not because they're scared something's gonna happen.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah. But even just that, I know my parent is going to take care of me. I know that I am taken care

[Jordan]

of me with my credit cards,

[Megan Ashley]

Jordan. And these credit cards are not going to stress me out. Yeah. Because Jordan feels like, well, I mean,

[Jordan]

I have two people that I know will not.

[Megan Ashley]

Jordan said I could rack this bill up, and I know at least two people that's going to make sure I don't go into debt. Now, don't think that way, y'.

[Nicole]

All.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, don't think that way.

[Jordan]

No, but that is the security.

[Megan Ashley]

But it is the security. Yes, but that is the security. But I, I, I think the Lord just wants us to know that he is Father and that we should just fully depend on him and trust that he will take care of us and have that type of childlike faith where we just know, like, our Father loves us and he's going to take care of me and, and entrusting myself, like, and whatever he tells me to do, I do it because he's my dad, and he's my father, and he tells me what to do. Like, having that type of faith. And when it comes to our re. Our identity being reborn, like we talked about with Second Corinthians, there is so much in that identity. Right. There's adoption. So we have Romans 8, 15, we have Galatians 4, 5, where we, we don't just stand as servants, but now we have inheritance rights. We have inheritance rights. So now we've received the spirit of adoption. Right. So our identity is now we're new creatures. We're adopted. We have Romans 5:1 where we're justified, right? So now our legal standing before God is righteous, not because of our record, but because of Christ and his in his standing, right? We're beloved. Colossians 3:12 tells us that First John 3:1, that we are beloved and that's our state of identity. Not something that we have to chase and strive to get. But it is just declared that we are loved by God. We're hidden with Christ in God, right? That's in Colossians 3. We have a new self where Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:10 tells us that we are created in the likeness of God and true righteousness and holiness. This is our identity when we are in Christ. This is who we are. Think about that. Oh, man, I. I'm adopted into the family of God. I'm justified. I'm loved. I have an inheritance. I'm hidden with Christ in God, right? I am new. That's something to marvel at. Because the enemy wants you to be so trapped in who you used to be. And think about all the things you used to do and all the. All the bad mistakes that you made and all the sin and all the mistakes and all of that. He wants you to believe that that's you and the new you as you being a fraud. I don't know about you, but I've experienced that where the enemy is like you as a fraud and he uses

[Jordan]

other people in your life to kind of add on to that. You being FAI as opposed to you're new in Christ.

[Megan Ashley]

I'm just new. What if I was just new here? You want to know the difference between being fake and being new? I feel like people get saved and they have a completely new personality. Do you know what I'm saying? Like they just have a completely new personality. I think the Lord created you how he created you and he sanctifies that when you're new in Him.

[Nicole]

That's good.

[Megan Ashley]

Do you know what I'm saying? Like. Like he sanctifies the part of your personality to glorify him and to make that new in Him. But it doesn't mean that you become a new personality like he created you the way he created you. If you're quirky and you're silly and you're fun, it doesn't mean that because now you're in Christ, you got to be this stone cold, like Pharisee hard, I'm so serious about everything type of person. Just beat you, but beat you in Christ.

[Jordan]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

I'm not Saying, do you do whatever you want? I'm saying be who he created you to be. The Christ version, the holy version of that. If you're a creative person and that's who you are, doesn't mean you stop being creative because you're in Christ now. You use that creativity for the glory of God. Now I use my silly personality for the glory of God. I use the serious parts of myself for the glory of God. Doesn't mean that you have to be a different person. You're just a new person. And all of this stuff and all the personality is just sanctified and new. I just want to put that out there because I feel like people feel like you gotta be. Now that I'm a Christian, I gotta be like this very. I have no joy, I have no fun, you know. No, it's just like now fun is defined by what he says. Fun is now.

[Jordan]

Yeah. It's interesting that you wanted to bring that up. Cause in Bible study last week, it's this guy that he's on trial right now and he's 21 and he's been on trial since he was 16. But in the midst of that he's found Christ. And he said he been on trial

[Megan Ashley]

for how many years?

[Jordan]

What is that, 16 or 21? 5. The trial or whatever. He's like, he's on house arrest right now, but like he's waiting on him to call him to court so that he can get sentenced. But it's, it's up in the air like he don't know when they going to call him. And he found Christ within the 16, that little five year period. And he said one thing that like has been eye opening to him, him. And I feel like it's kind of what you're saying in the sense of using your creativity for that. It's not that that changed, but the fact that he got sentenced or he went to jail out of Christ and when he found Christ, like that is still remain like he's still going to go to jail just because he's in Christ. Like the Lord hasn't lifted the sentence, but he was like the change of like my heart posture and my mindset towards it all. It's like no matter the circumstance, I know that I'm going to jail. But before I'm trying to fight it, I'm trying to do all the things instead of accepting the Lord's will. And now he has the mindset of no matter. The Lord is having me outside of jail right now. I'm on just house Arrest so I can steward it. I can go to Bible study. I can minister to the people that I minister to now. But he's like, even in jail, like, my personality ain't changing in the sense of, Like, I'm still this hardcore. Like, clearly I'm still a felon to the world. Like, so that is still remaining the same. However, being a felon, I'm using the gifts that. And the talents that God gave me in that. That felony role, which is I'm gonna be ministering in jail. And that's just what he's chalked it up to. And it's just like, dang. Because it's like, yeah, you. You might think when you come to Christ, I might get off. And it's like, no, no. Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

Or like, my circumstance might change and it's not. Your circumstance doesn't change. You are new, and it's like, what you do. Yeah. And I think that's a really. I think that's a really, really, really big deal. I think the phrase in Christ, like, we hear that a lot, and it appears, oh, I think, over 200 times in Paul's letters. In Christ. In Christ. In Christ. Which is a key principle to the New Testament identity, that our identity is not primarily about a personality, a history or achievement, or even the wounds, but our identity is a location. And I don't think I ever thought about it in that way. Like, my identity is actually where I'm located, not necessarily what I do, not necessarily what I've achieved, not necessarily what I've been through. But my identity is my location, which is in Christ. That is my identity is being in Christ. This is, like the biggest thing that I told Patrion to write down last night. This was so good to me. Everything that is true about Christ is credited to us. And everything that was true about our old self was crucified in Him.

[Jordan]

Him.

[Megan Ashley]

Praise be to God. Praise God. That everything that is. That is true about him is credited to us. And everything that is true about our past, the things that we've done, our sin, our failures, our mistakes, our wounds, our disappointments, our fail. All the things that was crucified. Crucified. That was crucified with Christ. Do you know how big of a deal that is that everything that is true about Christ gets credited to those who are in Christ. So when I stand before the. When I stand before God, I stand with his record.

[Jordan]

Yes. He is my resume.

[Megan Ashley]

With his resume. Thank God. I mean, whew. Because my resume. I'm not getting hired, you understand?

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Couldn't even come close to paying the debt that's owed.

[Megan Ashley]

Not even.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Not even close.

[Megan Ashley]

And so to stand before God with Christ's resume. Yeah.

[Jordan]

Not even having to say anything.

[Megan Ashley]

And I won't. You got it. You talk for me. You got it. Right. That's a blessing. And I think we really should marvel at that. I think that's something to marvel at. I think it's something that we should. We should try to keep in the forefront of our minds along with the gospel and the cross. Like, keep that in the forefront of your mind because that's a miracle. That is such a blessing that we don't have to stand on our own credentials. Thank you, God. That I don't have to. I don't. I don't have to earn this. That all I have to do is receive this and be faithful over the gift of salvation. I just get to be faithful over that and glorify you with my whole life. And then I get to stand before God and look him face to face and he see his son. That's beautiful.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

That's love.

[Megan Ashley]

That's.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

I mean, because he didn't gain anything. He was holy and perfect before that. But he was obedient unto death for our sakes.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

For the preservation of his creation.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

To reconcile us back to him. Like, he didn't have to.

[Megan Ashley]

Sure didn't.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

That's. The cross is the ultimate example of what love is because it's literally for the benefit of the recipient of the love and absolutely not for the one who is actually sacrificing.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

That's selfless love to a degree that will never be.

[Megan Ashley]

Comprehend. No, we can't comprehend that. You know, I think the closest that you can get to that is a parent child relationship. Like when you're a parent, I think that's the closest that you can get to that. That type of selfish love. And I'm not saying every parent has that because there are some parents who don't. You know what I'm saying, Who just don't really love their kids like that. But I just think about. I was telling Patreon last night, like, I think about my love for my children and I'm just like, there is no threat that I can imagine that would make me not prefer them over myself. I mean, I think about the most crucial death that I could go through and. And I would do it hands down if it meant preserving their life. That's how much I love my children. And then I think about that and then I. All the next thought is that pales in comparison to how much God loves us. That is a drop in the bucket. We cannot comprehend the love of God. And I think Paul talks about this in Ephesians where it's just like it's a mystery. His love, it's so grand that we'll never be able to know it. It, we'll never be able to comprehend it, we'll never be able to understand it. It's a mystery and how beautiful that is. And I think that we really need to grasp hold of that and marvel at it. Like I am so loved by the Creator of all things. I am loved and I'll never understand or never comprehend how much he loves me. And then, and then the next question is now what do I do with that? That what is the reasonable response to that type of love? It's total sacrifice. Literally. Cuz the scripture is if you love me, then follow my command. But I, I guess in my mind I'm kind of like yes, if you love me, follow my command. But like if you've received, like if you've actually experienced that love, what other choice do you have than to follow my command?

[Jordan]

Yeah, that's what I think. That's the tone of that scripture. Cuz I feel like, like you can read it like oh yeah, you only love me if you follow my commands. But I do believe if you have a true relationship with the Lord then you actually read that as in if you truly love me, you actually the only thing you want to do is honor me. The only thing you want to do is to do what I ask you to do. So it's like yeah, follow my commands. But do you know what his commit like his commands are? We're not even talking about the actual ones that can become legalistic. Like the simple ones is love your neighbor. Yeah, like the to love me.

[Megan Ashley]

Like the two greatest commands.

[Jordan]

The two greatest ones. So it's like I, that's what I feel like the tone of that scripture actually is.

[Megan Ashley]

And that's why it's so important that the love of God be experiential and not just intellectual. Like you have to experience that because if you only know that intellectually, you will become a legalist.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Because I think it's easy to think that faith is too easy. Yeah, like that's not enough. I need to participate somehow in this, in, in my salvation.

[Jordan]

No way. I just got to just believe.

[Megan Ashley]

But faith without works is dead, right? So faith also requires you participating in some type of way. But the faith part is still required. Like I'M doing this, but I'm doing it by faith. I'm not just doing it. I'm not just like, okay, I'm going to read my Scriptures, but I'm reading my scriptures by faith because I'm believing that these are living and active words that penetrate the heart. And you know what I mean? Like, it's by faith. Faith.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Check out this commentary on Galatians 3:5. 3:5 says, I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not. It's because you believe the message you heard about Christ. And the commentary says, the Galatians knew that they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed, not when they obeyed the law. But people still feel insecure, their faith in their faith because faith alone seems too easy. They prefer trying to get closer to God by following rules because there's something about earnings, what we get, that makes us feel like we deserve it. While certain disciplines like Bible study and prayer and service may help us grow, they must not take the place of the Holy Spirit in us or becomes. Become ends in themselves. By asking these questions, Paul hoped to get the Galatians to focus again on Christ alone as the foundation of their faith.

[Megan Ashley]

That's good. That's good. We gotta. Yeah, I think that's a big part of the walk. It's just we have to cement everything that we do in him and not just do the things, but do the things by faith and believing in who God says that he is. You guys know Romans 12 is obviously like one of my favorite scriptures about renewing the mind. And then you have Ephesians 4:23 that says to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the new self, the one created according to God's likeness and righteousness and purity of truth. And it was funny because I was or I watched a couple weeks ago or maybe a month ago now. Interstellar, right? That movie is great. Jay watched it.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Excellent.

[Megan Ashley]

Great movie. Jordan still hasn't seen it. Have you seen Interstellar? Probably way back.

[Nicole]

Like.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah, it's a great movie. It's a great. It's long. So if you're gonna watch it, prepare yourself because it is a very long movie. But it's really good. And let me just. Small plug soundtrack. Phenomenal.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Hans Zimmer did not miss at all.

[Megan Ashley]

Put that on. Why you do your Bible study. Game changer. It's like you feel like you have entered into the fifth realm.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Cornfield Chase.

[Megan Ashley]

Cornfield Chase, Bruh. That I literally the whole. So like two weeks after I watched that movie, I just put that on every. Like when I was praying, I'm like, I hope this isn't bad. But as I'm praying, as I'm doing Bible study, as I'm writing, writing and doing homework, like that was just. And it's only like a two minute track. It's very short, but I was just putting it on repeat. I like to watch movies. And then I usually go to YouTube for explanations of movies I like to like. I'm like, what did I miss? What did I not pick up on? And so interstellar had just been on my mind. And I go to YouTube to try to find some explanation on things that maybe I just didn't understand. In one of the explanations, they're talking about Newton's third law. Law. And in part of Newton's third law, there is what's called conservation of momentum. Never heard of it before. Maybe we talked about it in school. Science wasn't my thing, and you would think science would be my thing. My grandmother was a science teacher. She was a science teacher at the school that I went to. Hated science, love space, still do. But like, I just wasn't a great science student, right? But, but in the conservation of momentum, as they were explaining it, I was like, oh, my gosh, this is Romans 12.

[Jordan]

No, science will literally pull scripture.

[Megan Ashley]

Oh my gosh, science will. I'm like, it's so crazy to me that scientists stay atheist. That's so crazy to me because I'm like, y'.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

All.

[Megan Ashley]

But when you know scripture and then you know science, you're like, you don't

[Jordan]

have to waste your time trying to find. The answer is it's.

[Megan Ashley]

It's crazy. So as they're explaining conservation of momentum, I'm going to read to you guys what I wrote down. And I was just like, that. A preach. That's a preach. Okay. Basically, conservation of momentum says that you cannot generate forward movement without an equal and opposite release in the. In the other direction. The system demands exchange. You can't just add velocity, but something must be shed for motion to occur. That is the conservation of momentum. And when I thought about this, I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, this is sanctification. You don't simply just add Christ onto your old self, but you have to completely shed the old you to become the new you. And so think about this as like a rocket ship. That was the first thing that kind of came to my mind. When the rocket ship goes off, something comes off of it. It in order for that thing to get to where it's going, get to a new height and to go where it's meant to go, something has to come off. And, man, this is so good, because this is Christianity. You cannot hold on to the old you and be new.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Hallelujah.

[Megan Ashley]

You've got to let go of the old you to go where God has destined for you to go. And I'm not talking about platforms, and I'm not talking about money, and I'm not. I'm not talking about that. But I'm saying that God, when he placed you in the womb of your mother, he had plans for your life. Plans. And so he knows where he wants to take you. And in order for you to go and be who he has called and designed you to be, you've got to let go of the odu. It's not possible. You cannot add on you to him.

[Nicole]

There's no momentum.

[Megan Ashley]

There's no. You are not going to progress. So some of us, and I'm talking to me because I. I know this is me, are so frustrated at the pace at which we're growing, going and growing and being sanctified, but maybe we need to take some inventory and say, what am I holding onto that's preventing me from being sanctified and growing at the pace that he has designed for me to go? Maybe it's me.

[Jordan]

And it ain't always other people and it ain't always a circumstance. It can actually be you.

[Megan Ashley]

Actually can be you. It could actually be because you're not taking Romans 12 seriously and renewing your mind. You're still holding on to old thinking patterns. It could be as simple as that. It ain't always, like Jordan said, it ain't always about your circumstances and the things outside of you, but it's about the things on the inside of you. What are you holding onto? What. What does Paul say? Let go of every weight that hinders and all those.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Are you opening your hand and letting it go, not him taking it, because he ain't.

[Megan Ashley]

You have to surrender. You are to present. The Bible says, present yourself as a living sacrifice. You gotta do that. You gotta do that. You gotta put yourself on that altar. He's not.

[Jordan]

But you can only do that if you truly know whose altar you're putting yourself on, who actually did the work. Like, do you truly know your identity? Because if you do, then it wouldn't it, oh, I'm releasing it. And if it really clicks to you as a law that, like, in order for me to be pruned and to be sanctified. And for me to really abide in the Lord, that means I would have to let go of old ways of thinking. So if you're struggling in that area, then that must mean you don't know who your identity is in, which means that that's telling you. Maybe you need to ask him. Yeah, maybe you need to get in your word.

[Megan Ashley]

And that's the biggest thing. Have the humility to ask. Because maybe you don't think, maybe you like, I like this pace, but is it the pace at what God designs for the pace to be? Have you asked him? Ask him. Number one, don't let me be in deception. Is there something that's hindering my, my sanctification? Is there something that's hindering me from being and going where you want and design for me to go? Is there? Let me just be curious and humble enough to ask the question. Right? We have to, we have to stop having old patterns of thinking and arguments and agreements in our minds. We have to have new minds, new ways of thinking. And this is a big one that I, that, that I was thinking about last night when I was talking to Patreon. I was like, I need us to be mindful of who we are engaging with when it comes to our thinking. Am I engaging with the accuser or am I engaging with the affirmer? Who am I engaging with? That pattern of thinking can start right there. When I'm having these thoughts, do these thoughts sound like Lord or do these thoughts sound like the enemy? Me and who am I engaging with?

[Nicole]

In order to know, you got to know your word.

[Megan Ashley]

You have to know your word, correct? In order to know what Satan, how Satan sounds, and in order to know how the Lord speaks, I got to know my word so that I can take inventory on what kind of thoughts I'm engaging with, so that I can have a new mind, so that I can steward this new creation. That's it. In order to, to go and progress in the way that he wants you to go, you got to let go of some stuff. You have to, you have to let go of all the old, all the, the past, the mistakes, the failures, the pain. And I know this is hard. Even the ways in which people have abused you, the ways in which people have hurt you, you gotta let that, that has to go. Because it can't. It cannot come alongside of where he wants to take you. It can't. Can't. You're new now. You're new. And I'm not saying that It's a light switch. And that's just easy to just be like, boop, I'm new. But you have to, like you have. You have to just by faith, believe like, I'm new. And so when those old thoughts creep

[Jordan]

in the Philippians, like reminding yourself that's where that time comes in, it also

[Nicole]

goes back to fixing your gaze as well. It's like if the Lord wants to use your testimony in a way that glorifies him and you're holding on to the pain of what you've been through, you're unable to steward that period.

[Megan Ashley]

You can't.

[Nicole]

You're blinded.

[Megan Ashley]

The last thing that I'll say is, is sanctification. And I want to be clear because I never. I never want to give off the impression that it is that light switch where it's like just being new, right? Like, I think it. Sanctification is an ongoing process, right? And it's an ongoing process of bringing your experience, sense of self into alignment of your declared identity in Christ, taking your. Your experience, but then just rooting that all in Christ. You don't understand what I'm saying. It's like, it's not. It's an ongoing process. It takes time. And so, like, you can just relax and yield yourself to the pace at which God is sanctifying you, but also be mindful of any old patterns and any old weight that. That's hindering you from actually progressing in the way he wants you to progress. Both can be true, right? Both can happen. And so, I don't know, you don't determine the pace because you ain't the Creator, you're not the founder, nor the perfecter of your faith. And a lot of times we'll let the Lord be the founder, but we want to be the perfecter. And you're not. You're not either. So relax and just be mindful at asking the Lord if there's anything that I'm holding on to that's preventing me from. From growing at the pace that you desire for me to grow, Lord, show it to me. And then help me have the humility to surrender that to you.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

You.

[Megan Ashley]

Because I want to be all that you have called and designed for me to be. I want to stand before you and say, lord, I lived my life for you, and I did everything that you, to the best of my ability, I did all that you asked me to do. I didn't waste it. I didn't waste it. I didn't waste this gift of salvation and this gift of partnering with you. And your. Your. Your redemptive work in the earth, I didn't waste it. I honored it, I valued it, and I steward it well. And I did it all by faith. I want to stand before the Lord and say that. I wanna stand before the Lord. And he look at me and say, well done. You did what I told you to do. You didn't get it perfect, but you yielded yourself to me. You surrendered. You were faithful. You were faithful. Not perfect, but faithful. And I want to stand before him and I want him to say that to me. Wow, man. You were faithful. You were faithful. Ask yourself, if I were to stand before the Lord today, would he say, well done? Would he say, you were faithful? You did everything to the best of your ability to steward all that I've given you. You. And you did it by faith. And you did it to honor me. And you did it honoring others, loving me and loving others. Would God be able to say that to you today? And if the answer is no, there's no condemnation, right? But there is repentance available. So repent. Turn and be new. Start over. Today I'm making the decision. I'm drawing a line in the sand. And I'm going to live faithful. I'm going to live faithful. And I'm going to live my life honoring him. Whatever he calls me to do, I'm going to do it. Whether I'm scared, whether I feel I feel qualified, I don't care. I'm just going to do it. Because what other response do I have when God so loved me that he sent his only son, the perfect and holy one, to die for my sins so that I can be made righteous and blameless? This. What other response should I have? So that's the question. If you were to stand before him today, would he say you were faithful? Well done. And if he wouldn't? And. And if you really. And I'm not saying go into shame. I'm not saying beat yourself up. I'm saying really interrogate that. I'm not asking if you've been perfect. I'm asking if you've been faithful.

[Jordan]

Faithful

[Megan Ashley]

to the best of my ability. I'm faithful in my relationships, to the best of my ability. I'm faithful at my job to the best of my ability. I'm faithful as a parent. I'm faithful as a wife. I'm faithful as a husband. I'm faithful as a friend. I'm faithful as a daughter. I'm faithful as a neighbor. I'm faithful in my church. I'm faithful as A disciple to the best of my abilities. That's all I'm asking. So that engine kind of heavy, but, like, identity.

[Jordan]

Am I faithful?

[Megan Ashley]

I mean, I'm asking myself that. I just think it's an important question that we have to ask because you don't know the time or the hour. And Christ is coming back. We just don't know. You think you have tomorrow, and you could be. I mean, you could be gone an hour from now. We don't know. And. And you could be ushered into the. The actual presence of God and have to take an account for everything. Are you ready? Are you ready? Or are you living this worldview of an identity and you're just deciding who you are and how you want to live? And I'll just add a little bit of Christ to me. Are you really ready to meet him? Because you're going to. Whether you like it or not, whether you believe everything that this book says or not, you're going to meet him. That I may not be sure of a lot of things. I am sure about that. That you're gonna meet him. You're gonna stand face to face to Him. And when you do, can he say,

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

you were faithful not by your might, but by His Spirit?

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Because again, it's not sending us off to strive to be faithful. It's believing that his word. Believing him is when he says that. That he's gonna continue his work until it is finished. Like, you haven't ever left me. You haven't ever stopped taking your hand on me. Once I believed, like, until then, I am unified with you, truly, through your Holy Spirit, I'm unified with God. Because you dwell and you continue to work on me.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. He who started a good thing will be faithful to complete it. That's scripture, y', all.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Until it is finally finished on the day.

[Megan Ashley]

And all you have to do is yield yourself to Him. He loves you. And he's not. He's not after embarrassing you or making you fail or destroying you. That's not his aim. His aim is to glorify himself through your life. So just be faithful. And I really, again, take the shoulders out, the ears. Take them out. Relax. And I say that all the time because my Pilates instructors, they say that, they're like, take your shoulders out your ears. And I'll be like, whoops. But even in life, like, just relax. He loves you. He's not looking for perfection. He's looking for participation and faithfulness. So just be faithful. Just be faithful. Look to him every day. Your daily bread it's that the daily bread. It's the daily bread. Maybe I messed up yesterday, maybe I didn't get it right yesterday, but today I'm going to be faithful.

[Jordan]

Yeah, I literally, like, as my relationship with the Lord has grown and I've become more, like, solidified in, like, my identity in Him. Like, all of my prayers do start within the morning. Like, thank you for giving me this day. And not on, like, a casual level, but, like, thank you for giving me a new opportunity to come to you again.

[Megan Ashley]

That's a big thing.

[Jordan]

I want you to know that I know that I'm not gonna get it right. I know that. But I also. I don't wanna abuse your grace. But I do want you to know that every day that you give me breath in my lungs, I wanna use this day to please you and honor you. I don't know if I'm gonna get it right, but I'm letting you know that is the goal. That's the goal. Like, that's where my heart is, truly.

[Megan Ashley]

And add on to that, that. Help me do that. That's this. That's just the simple, like God, I know that. That this is what my life is for, is to glorify you and to honor you. And in this day, I'm asking that you help me do it. Because I know if I'm left to myself, I'm going to fail 100%. So help me.

[Jordan]

But you woke me up on this day for a. You're giving me another shot. You're giving me another chance. But I only know to take that opportunity if I know that he truly does love me and he isn't to harm me, he's really to prosper me. But if I think he's my enemy, of course it's like, like, well, I don't know why you woke me up again or if you woke me up again, then clearly I'm not doing anything wrong. And it's like, that's not the case either.

[Megan Ashley]

That's good. Yeah. Well, listen, I'm fired up. That whole idea, that whole identity thing was like, oh, man. I just love talking about it. I really enjoyed talking about it with my Patreon community. And if you. Again, if you want to join Patreon, it's on there. That whole. We had a part one, a part two. We ended part two last night. Night. And it was really good. And I could just. I was watching them and I like watching how they were responding to this idea of identity and do I really know who I am in Christ And I don't know, it was just, it felt like like some things had shifted for a lot of people. And, and so if you want to hear more about that, you can join Patreon. It'll be saved on, on there and you can go back and listen to that conversation I had with them. But I hope this, I hope this bless you in some type of way. I hope that it encourages you. I hope that if it convicted you, that's fine too. But there no condemnation. Like, I want you to know that you're loved and, and this is a mercy. Like, if you're hearing this and you felt some type of conviction, that's a mercy. Respond to that. Respond to it. Like, the Lord did not allow you to come across this episode just by chance. He. This is his mercy and his grace and his love towards you. And so if you're watching this and you're not a believer, I just beg you, I just beg you to surrender your life to the Lord. Ask him to come into your heart. Ask him, say, lord, I just, I don't know what else to do. But if you are real, I ask that you would come into my heart and change me. And I promise you he will, he will repent and allow him to love you and be faithful over that love. So I just pray that this helps and I pray that it's a blessing. And yeah, I love you guys. We'll see you next week. Hey y', all, thank you so much for being here with me on In Totality this week. If this episode bless you or challenge you or even stirred up something in your spirit, go ahead and like this video. Drop a comment below and share with us what part of the conversation really stuck out the most. Share with someone who you think might benefit from watching this. It really helps the show. And listen, listen. If you want more of In Totality on a weekly basis, then join my Patreon community. You get early access to watch In Totality episodes, exclusive behind the scenes content, an In Totality docu series which is like my vlog, first access to merch drops events, Bible studies, where we're walking through the word together, book clubs, and so much more. We're growing in our faith together and I would love for you to be a part of it. If you haven't already, subscribe and tap the notification bell so that you never miss an episode. Thursdays, you'll find me right here on YouTube in the live chat when the episode premieres. I hope this message encouraged you today. I pray that you find a good godly community and a Bible based church where you're rooted in love and growing. Keep stepping into God's truth in totality. I'll see you next time. Hi, I am Mandy Moore.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Sterling K. Brown.

[Megan Ashley]

And I'm Chris Sullivan. And we host the podcast that Was Us now on Headgum. Each episode, we're gonna go into a deep dive from our show. This is Us.

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

That's right.

[Megan Ashley]

We're gonna go episode by episode. We're also gonna pepper in episodes with different guest stars and writers and casting directors. Are we gonna cry?

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

Yes, a little bit.

[Jordan]

Are we gonna laugh a lot?

[Guest/Additional Speaker]

A whole lot. That's what I'm hoping, man. Listen to. That Was Us on your favorite podcast app. Or watch full video episodes on YouTube or Spotify. New episodes every Tuesday.