I am… a woman.

I am… a daughter.

I am… a wife.

I am… a mother.  

Although these titles are good in and of themselves, they cannot compare to my ultimate identity as a child of God.  

So why then do I still sometimes have an identity crisis? Why does it seem easier at times to identify myself by one of my roles or jobs rather than by my spiritual birthright as a daughter of the king: made in the image of God, saved by grace, and purposed for His glory?

Because the truth is….I don’t always believe it.  

And If I don’t trust the truth of who God says I am, I cannot walk in it.  

Over and over again in the Bible, God tells us who we are.  

In Genesis….We are made in HIS IMAGE (1:27)

In Jeremiah…We are PURPOSED (29:11)

In Zephaniah…We are WORTHY (3:17)

In the Gospel of John…We are LOVED (3:!6)

In Ephesians…We are CHOSEN (1:4)

If the God who created us and fashioned us by His own hand says this is who we are, then why do we struggle to believe it?  

When we are asked to share about ourselves why do we often talk more about what we ‘do’ than who ‘who we are’?  

I think these are a few of the reasons:

•  Talking about who we are requires vulnerability and transparency.  Talking about what we do – not so much.  

•  We are afraid of being seen as boastful. Will my confidence in who I am make others feel uncomfortable and push them away?

•  We have bought into the lie that if we don’t like who we are or the world doesn’t like who we are, then we need to change who we are to be accepted.  

And what is the root of these reasons? FEAR. Fear of not being accepted; fear of letting our walls down and allowing others in; fear of losing relationships when we are our true selves.

But friend, FEAR is a liar. And the way that we combat lies is with the truth.  

But if you’re struggling to believe the truth of who God says you are here are three ways to strengthen that belief:

• Before we can receive and accept the truth of who we really are, we have to identify the negative thoughts and lies we may be believing about our identity. Pray and ask God to reveal them to you. Because He is the Way, the Truth, and The Life, He will. Then destroy the lie by taking it captive, confessing it, and making it obedient to Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:5)

• Write down one characteristic of your identity in Christ on a small  card and carry it with you throughout the day.  For example you might write: “I am worthy.”  Anytime you start to feel unworthy or less than, look at your card and speak out loud your true identity in Christ. (Philippians 4:8-9)

• Reach out to a trusted friend if you start wavering or when you have intrusive thoughts that don’t align with who God says you are. Confess to them any sin or lie that is keeping you stuck on negative thoughts about your identity, and allow them to speak the truth in love. (James 5:16)

So if you are on the verge of an identity crisis and are tirelessly trying to be who the world says you should be, remember to practice the three R’s:

Read the truth of who God says you are in His love letter to you – His word.

Rehearse the truth of who God says you are every morning and every night.

Reclaim the truth of who God says you are by naming the lie you’ve been believing and renewing your mind with what is true.

Reclaiming Our True Identities Together,