The Blessing of Identity

In this day and age, there are so many things we’re tempted to place our identity in. Our social media profiles. Our status in school. Our careers. Our relationships. Our wealth. Our accomplishments or prestige. The problem with placing our identities in these is that not a single one of them are stable. Social media changes everyday. We graduate and move on with life. Jobs fluctuate. People grow and change. Finances can become a challenge. And accomplishments last for a moment. At the core, these things are all too temporary.

By placing our identity in what is fleeting, our hearts and minds become breeding ground for insecurity. Insecurity is simply defined as the ‘uncertainty or anxiety about oneself.’ We can never have true peace and rest in these things because there’s no way for us to be certain about their future. Think, for example, how COVID-19 exposed what we once thought was predictable. School shifted to completely virtual learning. People were blindsided by layoffs from their jobs. Many relationships endured significant strain. Nobody ever imagined the changes we’d face; and when we allow these things to define who we are, we give our self-worth permission to be as flimsy as they are. Even the mere thought of any one of them failing is no longer just a change to our environment, it becomes an offense to our personhood. It’s why so many of us can feel worthless when we receive a bad grade, a tanking job performance, or an ugly end to a relationship.

The truth is that we need something stronger. Something that can hold and sustain all of who we are. And that something is actually a someone: Jesus. The safest we will ever be is when we place our identity in Him because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Eternal and unchanging. What a blessing it would be to endure the pitfalls of life while still having the ability to walk boldly in confidence, peace, and joy. This is a blessing I believe God intends for each of us to take hold of; but in order to receive it, we’ve got to do some unlearning and heart shifting to place our identities in who GOD says we are. In Ephesians 1:3-8 NIV, the Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into this blessing and helps us to understand what true identity in Jesus looks like:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us."

As we read in Ephesians 1, identity is initiated and given by God; and He says that we are:

1. CHOSEN to be holy and blameless

2. LOVED deeply and fully

3. CHILDREN who are guided by a great Father

4. COVERED by grace in place of grace

5. REDEEMED & FORGIVEN with no fear of condemnation

6. SET APART for His will and purpose (not our own will or for the purpose of money, prestige, status, worldly approval, etc.)

When we rest in THIS God-given identity, we find true freedom, peace, purpose, and joy. At last, we can be freed from equating our self-worth to the circumstances around us; and we can rely firmly on the One who calls us dearly loved children, not because of anything we've done, but because of everything He is. And when anything or anyone (the enemy and yourself included) comes against this identity, you can stand firm and confess boldly, "God said so, so I am."

Not it’s your turn…

Grab a journal, throw on some worship music, and set a timer for the next 10 minutes. Over that time, ask the Lord, “Who am I in you?” Wait in anticipation for Him to speak to you, and write down what He says. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you root your identity in Him.

Additional Journal Questions:

1. In what ways am I doing a good job of placing my identity in Christ? Feel free to reflect on the 6 identity items listed above.

2. Where am I placing my identity that is outside of the will of God?

3. When something or someone comes against my God-given identity, what is my response? Do I stand firm and cast down those lies or do I respond in fear and adjust my identity?

#devotional#thegospel#Jesus