Identity

Lately I have been struggling with my identity.  Who am I?  What am I?  Am I enough?  In these times it seems like we associate what we do with who we are.  In this fast paced over achieving society that we dwell in there are a lot of hats that each of us wear. 

I am a woman, I am a wife, I am a mother & grandmother and that is before I get out of bed each morning. 

Then there is what I am once I walk through the doors at work, I am an organizer, I am a baby-sitter, I am a counselor, I am a paper-pusher, I am a spread-sheet guru, I am whatever my team needs to get the job done to ensure the business is successful. 

What about at church?  I am a children’s church leader, I am a teacher, I am a member of a royal family, I am a sound booth operator / keeper of the messages, I am a cheerleader, I am a worshiper, I am a minister…which draws me into another realm of my life. 

What is my ministry?  Is my ministry just to make comforters and hygiene bags?  Is my calling to comfort to the homeless?  Comfort battered women?  Help teens that seek love and comfort?  Comfort children as their worlds crash down around them?  Am I doing enough to help the world around me?

Then there are the inner passions of destiny that scream to be identified, “I am a writer!”  I yearn to write, but what am I to write about?  I have lots in my head that longs to be written on the page.  When was the last time I sat down to reveal the words on the paper?  Am I really a writer?

What about me as the individual who longs to be healthy and happy.  I don’t want to just lose the weight to not be obese, I want to be beautiful.  I want my husband to long for me like when we first dated; you know when I was a size 11.  Will losing weight give me a new attractive identity?  Will being able to Zumba without looking stupid give me a better self-image?  Am I pretty enough?  Am I thin enough?  Am I desirable enough?

As I was wondering about this I looked around.  I have friends that have what I don’t have (that I crave).  As I started to cry wondering why I can’t have those simple things in my life God showed me the places where they are lost in their lives.  They may have that which I do not, but they are longing for one or two of the qualities or achievements that I have.  Each of us has areas in our lives that don’t measure up to our ideas of what they should be.

Then I heard those still small words, “Your identity is not in what you do it is who you are in ME.”  There it is, my identity is in Christ.  We are God’s children, we are His creations, we are His masterpieces.   

God loves us unconditionally…Agape love.  That sounds simple enough, but who am I?  I am reminded of the phrase, “You aren’t what you do, you do because of who you are.”   Your self-worth isn’t  found in what you do or what you achieve.  It is who you are in Him.  “He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1:22a NLT)

My identity is not defined by my feelings (sometimes I wish I could just turn those emotions off – they sure do get me derailed at times!)

I am not defined by what others think of me or the circumstances that are my life, nor am I defined by my successes or failures.  I am not defined by the car I drive (or don't drive) or anything that I may or may not own.  I am not even defined by how good or bad I think of myself.  I am defined by God and God alone. 

We need to stop comparing ourselves, our lives, our “everything” to everyone else.  We need to remember who loves us so much that He considers us so worthy to send His Son to die for our sins and shortcomings.  We are never going to measure up to standards of this world.  However isn’t fabulous that we measure up to His?!?  Our identity is in Christ.  The One who came to save us from ourselves. 

Soak up God; soak up His word and become drenched in Christ and your identity will become crystal clear. 

Until Next Time, God Bless!