Identity: Child of God

God has been reminding me throughout the week to look for my identity in Him. I don’t think I’d forgotten, but good or bad, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s going on around me. And the enemy will use anything—Any. Little. Thing.—to distract, discourage, or cloud my vision.

So, at the end of a frustrating day, He reminded me that it doesn’t matter what someone else thinks or says. The actions of others are not a reflection on me.

The following morning, I thought about how my identity in Him is unique. One of a kind.

And then after a really good day, I was reminded again that who I am is not dependent on what happens to me or around me.

Who I am is found in Whose I am.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his.

Psalm 100:3 NLT

My past, present, and future outlook help shape me and make me who I am, but it does not name me. It makes an impact and challenges me, but it does not define me.

My identity, and yours too, is Child of God.

Chosen. Beloved. And Redeemed.

It doesn’t matter what someone else thinks or says about us. It only matters what God says.

We are not defined by our own success or failure, nor by someone else’s.

Our identities are not determined by our age or personal stories.

God knows who we are because He created each of us—individually, in His image. He knows the plans He has for us, and they are not dependent on how well we can emulate someone else.

In fact, when we strive out of competition to be just like another, we step away from the plans He has for us. {Tweet this}

God didn’t design us to be copycats. He gave each of us different personalities, interests, and strengths and weaknesses. He knows where we’ve been and where we’re going. He knows what we’re capable of doing and where we fall short.

When we compare ourselves to someone else, we lose sight of how special God made us. We focus on what we don’t have instead of what we do have. We worry that we can’t be like her or accomplish what she can. But God never asked us to be just like someone else.

He just asks that we be ourselves and rely on Him for everything else. {Tweet this}

Afterward:

I’m currently reading The Story of With by Allen Arnold. After I wrote the rough draft of this post yesterday morning, I sat down to read in the afternoon. Little did I know the chapter I was about to begin was about identity, reinforcing the very thoughts I’d written about earlier in the day. It was one of those moments that makes your mouth hang open as you realize this was no coincidence.

When God wants to make a point, He will get our attention. Like He did for me this past week.

Throughout the good, the bad, and the ordinary, our identities are found in Him. They cannot be earned or taken away. {Tweet this}

Past actions, regrets, and old wounds are all part of our personal stories, but they don’t define us because God can redeem anything and everything.

Accomplishments and celebrations also make up our stories, but again, we are not defined by them. When the excitement wears off, our identities are solid in the One who created us, not dependent on the next goal we strive for.

I don’t know what you might be struggling with today, but would you take a moment to spend with our Creator? Maybe it’s a quick prayer. Or a simple question: What do You want me to hear from You today? Try personalizing Psalm 100:3 (or another verse that speaks to you).

I acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made me, and I am His.

When you think of your own identity, what comes to mind? Do you find yourself striving to be like someone else? Or trying to earn your identity through what you do? What would life look like if you rested in Him and who He created you to be?

In Christ,

Laura

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