Where is my identity?
"You can have anything you want if you work hard and set your mind to it."
Many of us have heard this phrase before. Most of the time it comes from someone that truly loves you and wants the best for you. What happens when you finally achieve your "anything"? The degree you studied so hard for? That promotion you felt like you deserved? The house that looks like it should be in a Hallmark movie? Does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it begin to define who you are?
"You can be anything you want if you work hard and set your mind to it."
You may have been told this when you were a child and/or you may have said this to a child. What happens when you achieve what you want to be? A Doctor? A Teacher? A Parent? A Pilot? An Engineer? An Entrepreneur? A Musician? Once again, does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it start to define who you are?
How do you feel when you don’t achieve what you set out to do? Or the item you purchased begins to break down, or doesn’t meet your expectations? If we are honest, I think we can say that it’s easy to find our identity in the things we have done, or the things we have. This is intensified when others are feeding into our ego.
Maybe you haven’t struggled with finding your identity in the things listed above. Maybe you have always been very proud of your heritage, your intellect, your ethnicity, or the political party you campaign so hard for every four years? While there isn’t anything wrong with any of those, the more important question is, "does your identity in these things supersede your identity in Christ"?
If you have put your faith in Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, then this changes your identity. The identity you now have in Jesus means that you are treasured (1 Peter 2:9), adopted into his family (Eph. 1:5), forgiven (1 John 1:9), heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (Roms. 8:17) How amazing is that!? And this is only a small glimpse into your new identity.
God the Father has blessed us with gifts, talents and with so many of the things that are mentioned at the start of this devotional, but they should not be where we find our identity.
If our identity is in Jesus, then our lives should reflect that we are His followers. This reflection should be recognizable both to ourselves and to other people. There should be something different about how we view our role as an employer, employee, parent, neighbor and so on, or how we steward the things we have.
Remember, if "the old has passed away", then are you willing to ask Jesus to align your dreams, your purpose in life, and your identity with what He has in store for you? That is a scary prayer but it is the right type of prayer if we want our new identity to glorify God.
It is possible that by the time you read this, we will have a new President of the United States. You can take comfort in knowing that, as a follower of Jesus, your identity will not be determined by the outcome of this, or any election but by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
SCRIPTURE
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive us for finding our identity in anything but Jesus. Help us to surrender all that we are, all that we do, and all that we have, to you. Help us to walk in the ‘new’ that you have called us into. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who continually makes us more and more into the image of your Son.
In Jesus name,
Amen
Many of us have heard this phrase before. Most of the time it comes from someone that truly loves you and wants the best for you. What happens when you finally achieve your "anything"? The degree you studied so hard for? That promotion you felt like you deserved? The house that looks like it should be in a Hallmark movie? Does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it begin to define who you are?
"You can be anything you want if you work hard and set your mind to it."
You may have been told this when you were a child and/or you may have said this to a child. What happens when you achieve what you want to be? A Doctor? A Teacher? A Parent? A Pilot? An Engineer? An Entrepreneur? A Musician? Once again, does the achievement dictate your behavior? Does it start to define who you are?
How do you feel when you don’t achieve what you set out to do? Or the item you purchased begins to break down, or doesn’t meet your expectations? If we are honest, I think we can say that it’s easy to find our identity in the things we have done, or the things we have. This is intensified when others are feeding into our ego.
Maybe you haven’t struggled with finding your identity in the things listed above. Maybe you have always been very proud of your heritage, your intellect, your ethnicity, or the political party you campaign so hard for every four years? While there isn’t anything wrong with any of those, the more important question is, "does your identity in these things supersede your identity in Christ"?
If you have put your faith in Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, then this changes your identity. The identity you now have in Jesus means that you are treasured (1 Peter 2:9), adopted into his family (Eph. 1:5), forgiven (1 John 1:9), heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (Roms. 8:17) How amazing is that!? And this is only a small glimpse into your new identity.
God the Father has blessed us with gifts, talents and with so many of the things that are mentioned at the start of this devotional, but they should not be where we find our identity.
If our identity is in Jesus, then our lives should reflect that we are His followers. This reflection should be recognizable both to ourselves and to other people. There should be something different about how we view our role as an employer, employee, parent, neighbor and so on, or how we steward the things we have.
Remember, if "the old has passed away", then are you willing to ask Jesus to align your dreams, your purpose in life, and your identity with what He has in store for you? That is a scary prayer but it is the right type of prayer if we want our new identity to glorify God.
It is possible that by the time you read this, we will have a new President of the United States. You can take comfort in knowing that, as a follower of Jesus, your identity will not be determined by the outcome of this, or any election but by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
SCRIPTURE
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive us for finding our identity in anything but Jesus. Help us to surrender all that we are, all that we do, and all that we have, to you. Help us to walk in the ‘new’ that you have called us into. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who continually makes us more and more into the image of your Son.
In Jesus name,
Amen
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3 Comments
So on point. In this age of identity politics, individualism and materialism, it is so easy and tempting to identify with, idolize and worship other than God. Been there. Done that. ?
nBut God redeems!?☺️
Such a good reminder that nothing in this world is built to satisfying the heaven-shaped longing we were created with! Only when our identity is in Jesus can we rest easy — no matter the circumstance. ♥️
Thank you for this very timely reminder regarding our true identity. The Hymnist got it right….
n
n“My hope is built on nothing less
nThan Jesus' blood and righteousness
nI dare not trust the sweetest frame
nBut wholly lean on Jesus' name
nOn Christ the solid rock I stand
nAll other ground is sinking sand
nAll other ground is sinking sand”