Finding Your Identity in Christ
"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy." Ephesians 4:23-24
After Bible study this week I was inspired to write about the topic of finding your identity in Christ alone. I have come to realize over the past few years that I have found my identity in being "the favorite" for way too long. Let me explain... See I was an only child growing up and therefore obviously my parents favorite! I also got along really well with all my teachers and authority figures and while I may not have been the favorite, I felt very much liked by them. School came easy to me. I got straight A's and was valedictorian of my graduating class (albeit that was a teeny tiny class of 9 kids haha!). The time I spent in college, I also got straight A's and was on the deans list. At my jobs I always seemed to be very well liked and trusted by my bosses. (And that one time, at that one job, with that really cranky boss...well I chose to not dwell on that one for too long.) This pattern was ingrained in me from early on and I didn't even realize it. It became my identity. To be the favorite of everyone I met became my identity. Then I entered real life, adulthood and got married. My husband has 5 siblings. I was not and obviously should not have been the favorite in this situation. I entered new grown up mommy circles as I became a stay at home mom and I found I was not the favorite by a long shot. I mostly felt invisible in these circles as I was quieter and introverted. I began to try to win the approval and fondness of others. I failed time and time again and my identity really began to take a beating. I couldn't win everyone's approval. Shoot I could barely get them to even include me in things. My self esteem went down and I couldn't figure out why. I don't remember when I started to realize the heart of the issue or what caused me to wake up and see the truth, but I do know at some point I realized these feelings of insecurity were coming from the fact that my identity was wrapped up in being the favorite and without being the favorite I didn't know who I was. That was a scary place to be. I had to "re-find" myself so to speak. I had to discover who I was in Christ, in Him alone!
I am a child of God which means that I am also his heir. "And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:17
I am a conqueror through Him! "For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith." 1 John 5:4
"No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37
I can never be separated from God's love! "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
I am a new creation! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am free! "So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." John 8:36
I am precious! "You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4
I am promised many amazing things from the Lord and I can escape temptation to win peoples approval (and many other temptations!) "And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the worlds corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:4
"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10:13
I have discovered who I am in Christ! It doesn't matter if I am the favorite of anyone or anything anymore. I will do my best to live at peace with others, like I am called to do, and to love others with Christ's love, but no longer do I find my identity in trying to make everyone happy. That is not who I am...I am not the favorite all the time and that is absolutely ok!
In what do you place your identity? There are so many things in which we can place our identity, but anything other than Jesus Christ will leave us disappointed, insecure, and scrambling to find our worth and value. When we place our identity in Christ we find true freedom and a solid unchanging immovable source in which we can safely plant our identity. We will know who we are and that no matter what, we are loved and valued!
Take a moment to listen to this awesome song by Josh Wilson. That Was Then, This Is Now
After Bible study this week I was inspired to write about the topic of finding your identity in Christ alone. I have come to realize over the past few years that I have found my identity in being "the favorite" for way too long. Let me explain... See I was an only child growing up and therefore obviously my parents favorite! I also got along really well with all my teachers and authority figures and while I may not have been the favorite, I felt very much liked by them. School came easy to me. I got straight A's and was valedictorian of my graduating class (albeit that was a teeny tiny class of 9 kids haha!). The time I spent in college, I also got straight A's and was on the deans list. At my jobs I always seemed to be very well liked and trusted by my bosses. (And that one time, at that one job, with that really cranky boss...well I chose to not dwell on that one for too long.) This pattern was ingrained in me from early on and I didn't even realize it. It became my identity. To be the favorite of everyone I met became my identity. Then I entered real life, adulthood and got married. My husband has 5 siblings. I was not and obviously should not have been the favorite in this situation. I entered new grown up mommy circles as I became a stay at home mom and I found I was not the favorite by a long shot. I mostly felt invisible in these circles as I was quieter and introverted. I began to try to win the approval and fondness of others. I failed time and time again and my identity really began to take a beating. I couldn't win everyone's approval. Shoot I could barely get them to even include me in things. My self esteem went down and I couldn't figure out why. I don't remember when I started to realize the heart of the issue or what caused me to wake up and see the truth, but I do know at some point I realized these feelings of insecurity were coming from the fact that my identity was wrapped up in being the favorite and without being the favorite I didn't know who I was. That was a scary place to be. I had to "re-find" myself so to speak. I had to discover who I was in Christ, in Him alone!
I am a child of God which means that I am also his heir. "And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:17
I am a conqueror through Him! "For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith." 1 John 5:4
"No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37
I can never be separated from God's love! "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
I am a new creation! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am free! "So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." John 8:36
I am precious! "You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4
I am promised many amazing things from the Lord and I can escape temptation to win peoples approval (and many other temptations!) "And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the worlds corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:4
"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10:13
I have discovered who I am in Christ! It doesn't matter if I am the favorite of anyone or anything anymore. I will do my best to live at peace with others, like I am called to do, and to love others with Christ's love, but no longer do I find my identity in trying to make everyone happy. That is not who I am...I am not the favorite all the time and that is absolutely ok!
In what do you place your identity? There are so many things in which we can place our identity, but anything other than Jesus Christ will leave us disappointed, insecure, and scrambling to find our worth and value. When we place our identity in Christ we find true freedom and a solid unchanging immovable source in which we can safely plant our identity. We will know who we are and that no matter what, we are loved and valued!
Take a moment to listen to this awesome song by Josh Wilson. That Was Then, This Is Now
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