There are times when the river of memory carries debris from storms long gone. A comment, a rejection, a whispered judgement; each one lodges like a dark brushstroke across the face of the masterpiece God painted when He formed you in your mother’s womb. Holy Spirit moves with gentleness and wisdom, revealing what has been overlaid so that the original colours may be seen again.

An identity crisis began in Eden and spread into every generation, creating a fog that convinces us the cover-up is actually the original painting. Labels given in childhood — "shy," "too much," "insecure" — slowly become lenses. A sibling’s louder laugh, a teacher’s careless word, the family stories passed down; each becomes another coat of paint the enemy uses to hide the image of God within us. The Holy Spirit does not come to shame us. He comes to reveal, to heal, to gently lift those layers.

For decades, I believed I was an introvert. I carried the weight of social anxiety and labelled myself as painfully shy. It wasn’t until I heard the statement, “If you’re painfully shy, it would behove you to ask the Holy Spirit if that was an inner healing issue,” that I dared to bring it before Him. He revealed that my shyness was not who I truly was — it was fruit from unresolved trauma, my social anxiety, the outworking of being a wounded burden bearer. As I’ve walked with Him in healing, the suppressed version of me has begun to give way to my true design. Recently, a few people even called me an extrovert. When I told Clive, he laughed and said, “No way!” because he’s only ever known the suppressed version of me. The more healing comes, the more I remember who I really am, and the more I step into the masterpiece the Father painted from the beginning.

I also recognised how my strengths and values had been twisted, leaving me trapped in painful double-binds — wanting to live out love, creativity, compassion and courage, yet feeling paralysed by fear, guilt, and the lies of the enemy. Through recognition, forgiveness and repentance, the Father has been restoring me to my original design. What once held me hostage has become the very place where His freedom now flows. Healing is not just removing pain; it is restoring His intention.

As you sit with this truth, invite the Holy Spirit to bring revelation. Ask Him where a lens has been formed, and allow His light to expose what is not yours. He will not yank the bandage; He heals with tenderness, not force. Mercy triumphs over judgment and safety invites vulnerability. When the Father is seen as safe, the heart leans in, and the unpeeling happens in love. There are places where generational wounds have taken root. Patterns of anger, fear, perfectionism or shame may feel like a family heirloom, handed down from one heart to another. Jesus bore every curse on the cross. His blood begins the slow, holy work of washing the canvas: revealing the image God intended, restoring purpose and beauty.

Practical steps for tender unpeeling:

1. Ask Holy Spirit to show you the first memory where a lie felt true. Name it aloud.

2. Speak truth into that place using Scripture, not as a weapon but as balm.

3. Renounce the lie and declare your truth in Christ.

4. Invite a trusted friend or minister to pray with you and speak life over the hidden masterpiece.

5. Keep a small journal of each layer that peels away so you can see how God restores colour over time.

You are not what the enemy painted over you. You are the Father’s original, beloved work — fearfully and wonderfully made, an image-bearer of the living God. Allow His light to rise in the hidden valleys of your heart; watch the debris float away and the river begin to flow again.

🙌A short, soul-tending prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for the gentleness of the Father and for Holy Spirit who reveals truth. Peel away what is not of You. Wash the canvas of my heart with Your blood and let me see my true self reflected in You. Replace shame with wonder, fear with power, and doubt with the knowledge that I am beloved. Help me to renounce the lies and to walk in the freedom of my original identity. Restore the colours that have been hidden and set my feet to rise in the purpose You have painted for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Affirmation: Today I choose to see myself through the Father’s eyes. I am His original masterpiece, called to beauty, courage and faithful love. You are seen, cherished and being made whole.