Inspiration Behind the Music
Before you read this, listen carefully to the song first. What went through your mind when you heard the first line? Were you shocked? If you were, that’s okay, because the message in this song goes against everything society has taught us about self-worth. Is self our most valuable possession? Is it true that we first have to learn to love ourselves before we can learn to love others? What about our relationship with God? Is it necessary that we learn to love ourselves before we learn to love God? Is it true that “learning to love ourselves is the greatest love of all?” Can we be true to ourselves and stay true to God? What does being true to self look like in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ?
If you disagree with what I’m saying in this song and you’re a follower of Jesus, let me ask you something. Who is capable of loving you more; you or your creator? Is there a better way for us to understand how much we’re worth other than through the cross? Jesus asked this question in (Mark 8:37). What can anyone give in exchange for their soul? In (Matthew 16:26), he asked another question. “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” the implication is that nothing in this world is more valuable, but “God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son.” He wants us to know that the value he placed on his son is equal to the value he placed on us.
When we sin, we are demonstrating that we don’t understand our value. Too often we trade our allegiance to God and to his word for the pleasures of sin, which are only for a moment. Since the cross of Jesus has eternal value and it was the price that was paid for our transgressions, we need to understand that God sees every human being as eternally valuable. The problem is that no one has to learn how to sin. It is righteousness that we have to learn. You may ask, “How do we learn righteousness?” the answer according to (Romans 3:22) is that we learn righteousness by faith.
As believers we are all learning who and what we are in Christ. Since righteousness does not come naturally to us, most of the time, if not all of the time, what we are learning will bring us to the point of decision. When we accept that what Jesus says about us is true and we respond in obedience, we are accepting his righteousness by faith. However, when we choose to do what comes naturally to us, which is to sin, we are being true to ourselves and not true to our Savior. How can we be true to our Savior? Jesus lets us know.
Luke 9 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
So we see then that following Christ requires self-denial. When we stay on the road of self-denial, this will be the end result.
Romans 8 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.
Did you catch that? God’s plan for every believer is that we are conformed to the image of his son! That’s why this song says, “Who I am is not what I was meant to be. This old world can’t give me life abundantly.” It is the cross that changes our perspective. As the song says, “when I think about the cross and just how much it cost the son of God who died on Calvary. How could I give him something else? The last thing that I need to do is be true to myself.
This song is available for streaming on YouTube at this link.
True to Myself by Neville Peter
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What I think is that God just spoke to me through your words. HE truly is using you mightily Neville. Thank you for your faith in him that has strengthened mine.
Judy
I am in total agreement with you my brother one recurring theme in the bible is denying ones self anotger is the battle between the carnal and the spiritual. If we through Adam have inherited a fallen nature and the heart above all is deceitful then we cannot be true to ourselves because God declared enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Another passage describes a certain set of people as being of their father the devil enmity between sin and righteousness. we must be true to God first and foremost not our fallen sinful selves
God has given you such a talent to minister to others through your music.
It has been an inspiration to me listening to each and every song.
May God Bless You Always and keep on singing God’s praises.
Terry
Am speechless everytime i receive your e-mails they show me a way out of a problem i might be having. This time it also came when i was struggling. Thank you very much my brother. God bless you abundantly
Amen brother Neville! God has given you another unique song and message to bless others. I’d rather deny myself to be true to God! Thank you for sharing your ministry with us all. It’s a true blessing. May God continue to bless you, your family, and your ministry.
When I heard the first line to your song, what you meant, is exactly what I thought you meant, when I continued to listen to the rest of the song. Great lyrics with a great message, Neville. May God continue to bless you, your family, & your ministry, mightily!
Thank you Liz and all of you who have commented. I really appreciate your kind words. I must say that this song is probably my favorite out of all the songs I have written so far. This song encourages me just as much as it has encouraged those who have heard it.
God bless you all.
I do not like the first line “who I am is not what I was meant to be” I love the title and the rest of the words but not that line. It feels negative to me. I like ” who I am is not what others think of me”
In my brokenness I can easily recognize & accept that who I am is unfortunately not what God has meant for me to be. Therefore, I believe that the first line of the chorus (when understood in the context of the 3 verses) makes ‘perfect’ sense. q;~)
Consider the first verse ~ “I don’t want to be true to myself, Listen carefully to what I’m going to say. I know that it will sound a little strange, But please hear me out as I present a different way. When I look into the Word of God I see that I’m crucified and self has got to die. And everything that God wants me to be, Will not come naturally, And is very far from where self wants to lead”
Shalom aleichem
This is a powerful song that puts the spotlight on Jesus, and removes it from the individual. We are all sinners and live desperately evil lives without him. When we realize that fact then we can begin to find our purpose in him and live a meaningful and extraordinarily fabulous life through the power of God.
Life today is so self-centered and tends to emphasize taking care of me, myself and mine. I is its center.
This song teaches us that life has greater meaning when we view ourselves through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross to save us from sin. He is the center and it’s really not about us at all.
You did a soul-stirring job with this composition.
Hey Lee,
Thank you for letting me know how this song has blessed you. Even though I am the writer, When I listen to it, I am also blessed. I believe that it was a message from God to me. Thanks again for your comment.
Here is the link where you can stream it directly from YouTube.
True to Myself by Neville Peter
https://youtu.be/ISPYRcl__T0