How do you identify yourself when you meet a stranger?
“I’m Bobbi. I’m an athlete.”
“I’m Sierra, a musician.”
“Hello, I’m Jessie, the president of the student council.”
“I’m Lauren, author of Christian YA fiction.”
Your identity is how you define yourself. But sometimes, in trying to fit in somewhere, we forget the most important one:
“My name is Lauren. My identity is in Christ.”
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
In This Article
Who Are You?
When you identify with a certain group—perhaps a family, an organization, a personality type, an ethnicity, an occupation, or a lifestyle—you feel grounded. You know who you are and where you belong. If I identify as a diehard Leonid & Friends fan, I will feel an instant connection when I meet another Leonid & Friends fan on the street. We will probably talk about our favorite band members and songs, maybe go to a concert together.
Then there are our other identities, the ones we don’t brag about in conversation.
I’m a high school dropout.
I’m a binge drinker.
I’m an anorexic.
I’m a heroin addict.
I’m a paranoid, manic-depressive schizophrenic.
How would you like to go about life with a label like that stamped on your forehead?
The Case of Shifting Identities
Identities shift. One day, you find you don’t know who you are anymore.
Who are you today? You might identify yourself as a star basketball player, but what happens when an auto accident claims one of your legs? What label will you assume next? Depressed amputee?
Maybe you identify strongly with the Smith Family. What happens when death or conflict rips into your family, shaking your very core?
The truth is, identities shift. Just ask any recent graduate or someone who unexpectedly lost a long-held job. One day, you find you don’t know who you are anymore. That’s an unsettling feeling.
But one identity true of all Christians will never change: Your identity as a child of God. Your identity is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Come wind and high water, you always know who you are when you remember your identity is in Christ.
The Tragedy of Mistaken Identity
You’ve been told you need a positive self-image to rise above negative traits, but what you really need is a correct self-image.
Some labels we give ourselves aren’t so good. When you accept a label such as social loser, alcoholic or homosexual, it cements that characteristic into your mind, leading you to believe you can never change.
“This is the way I am. Can’t help it.”
What a tragic way to see yourself!
Never let any other identity overshadow your real identity. You’ve been told over and over you need a positive self-image to rise above negative traits, but what you really need is a correct self-image, based on truth. And the truth is what God says about you.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:22
Your Identity is In Christ—Embrace it!
Who will you identify with? Adam and all his shifting and imperfect identities? Or Christ?
Only in Christ will you find life and freedom.
Yes, I am an author of Christian YA fiction, a member of Club Thell, a pianist, and a backyard astronomer. But when the day ends and those titles shift, I find peace in knowing that my true identity is in Christ. And I hope you will too!
For more on embracing a full life as a child of God: How do I know if I am acceptable to God?
Related: Who I Am in Christ (article from Forward in Christ)
Best identity, child of God! What peace and comfort we have with that gift from God. Thank you, Lauren for always writing of what God tells us in his true Word.
Another great one ! Thank you.
What a great reminder. What a remarkable extended family to be a part of, not just here, but for eternity. Yay, Jesus! ❤️
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