Identity - Where Does it Come From?
I was looking at my phone yesterday and a video popped up containing an interview with a journalist who had written a book and was promoting it, and for some reason I started watching the video. In the interview, the journalist was describing the book, which was about interviewing people who had gone through difficult situations and their journey through them.
In one example, she mentioned her conversation with a fashion designer, who ended up giving up his business due to crippling anxiety and then dealing with an addiction to the medication he was taking for anxiety. What specifically caught my attention was a phrase that she said – she mentioned that he talked about his journey in changing his identity in being a fashion designer to his identity in what he chose to do in the future.
This is in no way a judgment or criticism on this journalist, nor this person she interviewed for her book. Anxiety is a difficult situation that needs to be taken seriously. It was just simply an observation that the Father was using to speak to me. Identity is a word that is used a lot in this present day and age. I believe this is because so many of us feel lost, and are searching for a sense of purpose, belonging, acceptance and peace. In our present day, the things our culture places our identity in are our vocation, our gender, or the gender we desire to be, the number of likes we have on social media and how we look online, how much income we make, our physical appearance, our sexual orientation, whether we run a successful business, our nationality or cultural heritage, and I could go on and on.
Here is the problem. None of those things offer true lasting peace, freedom, and purpose. Why is that? Because feelings change, careers, jobs and money come and go, many relationships don’t last forever, and as we age our appearance changes. The common theme here is that all those things are changeable and even fickle, meaning that any sense of meaning, purpose and identity built on them will ultimately shift as they do.
It is easy to look at the culture around us and think how many build their lives on these things, but in this moment, I am also reminded with how often I seek my identity in some of these things that can shift and change too. And I believe that so many of us that call ourselves Christians aren’t truly walking in the freedom we are created to because of this very reason. Sometimes we learn these things in our own walk with the Father. Often, we learn through those things being shaken or even stripped away from our lives. I have learned over the last few years of journeying an ongoing chronic illness that my identity doesn’t come from what I do or how ‘productive’ I am, but in something else.
So, what is that something else? Jesus answers that question in Scripture: “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.” (John 14:6 TPT) Shortly after saying this, he continues to explain that he is the vine, and we are the branches. Branches are only healthy and full of life when they are connected to the vine which supplies the nutrients needed to the branch.
In other words, it all comes down to relationship. First and foremost, it is dependent on intimacy with God through a mutual, two-way relationship of true connection. I say two-way because He is always pursuing us and hungry for relationship, but it is our choice whether we reciprocate. This relationship is the only thing in our lives that is guaranteed not to change. He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and He will never condemn us (Romans 8:1). We don’t have to fear rejection. Because of Jesus, we are His dearly loved sons and daughters who get to boldy run into His presence anytime (Hebrews 4:16).
Once we understand and start living from this place, we can then embrace who He is and what He says about us. Here are a few examples:
We are adopted as His beloved children (Ephesians 1:5)
We are brothers and sisters of Jesus (John 20:17)
We are new creations – we have a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17)
We are dead to sin (Romans 6:11)
We are chosen (Ephesians 1:4-5)
We are God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)
We are purchased (1 Corinthians 6:20)
We are friends of God (John 15:12-17)
And that’s just scratching the surface! The incredible thing about all these things is there is nothing that I could do to earn those things. They are not dependent on my own strength, ability, or prowess. They are completely dependent on Him, His grace, and His goodness. Therefore, you and I can rest in these things because they are based on His nature and don’t change or depend on us.
I believe in this season, we are being offered the amazing opportunity to let Him reveal those areas that we are seeking our identity elsewhere, because He has something so much better! Song of Songs words it like this: “You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship. For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you. Will you catch them and remove them for me? We will do it together.” (Song of Songs 2:15 TPT)
So the question is, what area(s) are you seeking your identity in that He is wanting to reveal? And are you willing to let Him deal with that and replace it with Him?