Who are you? Who would people say you are? Are you the star basketball player, the graceful dancer, the hard worker, the straight A student? Our world today loves to label people and encourage us to place our identity in what we do, whether that be our jobs, roles, or certain talents we possess. I myself have always been a dancer, and to be completely honest, I have placed my identity in dance before. Over the years I have learned, and am still learning, that worldly talents and identities will fail us, but if we place our identity in Christ, that will never fail. Here are some tips on how we can all find our true identity in Christ.
Keep things in perspective:
My freshman year of high school, I pulled my hamstring during dance and was out for quite awhile. During that time, I could not dance and it was very hard to not be able to do something I love. It was a wake-up call to myself that my sense of identity was all wrong, I had the wrong perspective on myself. I was placing my self-worth in a hobby. As my body gets older and I continue to be more prone to little dance injuries, it would be easy for me to get frustrated and down on myself, but putting my identity in Christ has helped me to keep things in perspective and remember where my true identity lies. How we do on a math test, in a basketball game, or at our job, does not define us, or shouldn't change how we think about ourselves. We will fail, but God and his love will never fail us. This is the perspective we need to have.
You’re Gifted:
Along the lines of keeping things in perspective, it's also important to remember that God gave us talents, roles, and gifts for a purpose. So, in no way am I saying it is bad to be known to have certain amazing qualities and talents because God gave you those gifts for a reason and wants you to use them, but he wants you to use your talents and roles to honor him. Ephesians 2:10 says, “You are God’s masterpiece.” He created us just the way he wanted to and also blessed us with many talents and skills. But we have to remember where those talents came from and stay grounded in our true identity in Jesus.
Remember you are blessed:
Because God gave us all certain gifts we excel at, it is important to remember how blessed we really are. God has not only blessed us all with talents and amazing qualities, but he also sent us the greatest blessing of all: himself! Worldly blessings come and go, but we can be confident in knowing God will always be with us, loving us, and working things out in our life. Remember to reflect on these blessings, no matter the circumstance or season of life we are in.
You’re saved and will come out victorious:
No matter if you win or lose the basketball game, get a raise at your job or not, one thing will never change and that is the fact that Jesus died on the cross and saved us all from our sin. Whether we end up victorious on this earth or not, we can hold onto the promise of ultimate victory, and that is more important than any 1st place, A+, or pay raise.
Someday, my body will get old and tired and I won’t be able to dance anymore, but what will make it easier is knowing that my joy and my identity are found in Christ alone, and that is the most comforting thing to hear. Our worldly talents, gifts, and roles will fail us but God’s love for us is unchanging. To make the transition from a self-focused identity to putting our identity in Christ, we must cling to the truth that God loves us now and forever. His approval of us is not based on our performance in sports, jobs, or school work. When we feel like we have failed, remember that he has already paid the price so that you could be his forever and we can find joy in that promise forever!
