I can guarantee we have all wrestled with the issue of identity. Who are you? What defines you? What makes you who you are??? I'll whole heartedly admit that to this day I struggle with this. It's funny to hear what people say when you ask then to describe themselves, their identity. Even looking at my own "About Me" section I define myself in such small and worldly terms. I have defined myself by my field of study, my passions (which are apparently only fluffy and sparkly things..what?), and who I love, Jesus (which is not worldly, obvs).
It's just so curious that we often define ourselves by things that can be taken away instantly; upon things that are clearly temporary but are being used as a definitive and supposedly permanent descriptor.
For example, people often define themselves based on their profession - which could literally be taken away at any moment given this economy we live in. Some base it on their performances: music, sports, etc. But, as we all SCREAMED IN HORROR watching that Louisville game the other day, our ability to perform can easily to taken away without warning or reason. Careers, passions, hobbies, family, whatever good things you may have in your life are not necessarily indicative of your true identity.
I'm sure to some extent we all let the wonderful blessings in our lives become a part of the construct of our self perception, but what breaks my heart (and I'm guilty of this too) is when we let the negative part of our lives seep into who we think we are. Too often we are blinded by guilt, shame, and lies that the enemy so subtly and craftily and maliciously plants in us. I know we all have a past, and mistakes to varying degrees, but by NO means do our mistakes reflect who we are. Our mistakes reflects times when we were not living in the beautiful reality of our true identity.
Two weeks ago, I was up at Solid Rock in Portland and just was reminded afresh of the powerful truth the Bible explicitly gives regarding our identity. Not who we think we are, not what we have done, not our careers or other talents - but the core of who we are. And that's that. Jesus saved us from a sad, aimless, lifeless path and in Him we have put to death our old self, our old identity, and He gave us a beautiful shiny brand-spanking new one. And we don't even have to try, it's who we are, period! I feel like so often we get stuck in this "identity crisis" when in reality, we are just not living in our God given identity. We don't have to do any guess work, we just have to be.
Colossians 2-3 is one PACKED section of Scripture but so full of plain, simple, and powerful truths of identity:
- I am full of the Spirit (2: 10)
- I am alive and forgiven in Christ (2: 13)
- I am raised with Christ - aka I have supernatural life!(3:3)
- Christ IS my life (3: 4)
- I am renewed in the knowledge and image of my Creator (3: 10)
- I am holy and dearly loved (3: 12)
- Runner
- Singer
- EXSS Major
- Impure
- Selfish
- Unloved
- Aimless
...or anything other negative thing we tend to identify as ourselves. The worst part? We live out who we think we are, whether our thinking is true or false. For example, It's no wonder that when I believe that I am impure then I tend to see myself making choices that reflect that false belief. I'm just using purity as an example cause it is something I've struggled with for a long time - yes it's a woman issue too! We live as who we believe we are. It's just a fact. So if we believe falsely about who we are, we will live as someone who we are not. On the flip side, when we internalize the real truths behind who we are, then we live in the abundant and amazing life that God has intended for us, the real us. These few defining criterion (there are TONS more) that I listed are not conditional either. They aren't, "if I never mess up, and always give 10%, and never say anything selfish or mean then I am holy and dearly loved." Nope. I am holy and dearly loved. Period. I am holy and dearly loved (that's fun to say huh?). When I believe in that identity, then I will live a life that looks holy and reflects feeling loved and cherished. Believing who you are takes the effort out of trying to live a certain way. We live as who we think we are. This is why knowing the truth is CRITICAL. Life isn't about behavior modification in order to feel good or force good action, but being free to be the incredible people God has made us to be. Our actions will reflect our true identity when we finally realize it. Here is one amazing quote (of whom the author has slipped my mind and notes) that sums this all up:
"From the moment we claim the truth of being the Beloved [Christ's Beloved], we are faced with the call to become who we are."
It's about realizing truth and stepping into that. I know I'm constantly challenged by this thought and wrestle with it more than I'd like to say. For some reason we, I, want to fight the simplicity that our identity is already figured out, and all we have to do is be that. And it will rock. Whew. Okay that's all my heart can write for tonight. Praying for a contemplative and revelatory week for all of you! And take the wise wise wise words of my incredible Mother.... (gosh I love her)
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Becca. It can be so easy to try to categorize ourselves in all these categories that the world tries to throw on us. But our identity is found with Christ, secure and certain. Blessings!
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