When Your Identity And Your God-Given Identity Differ

What is your identity, friend? Who do you say you are?

In this week’s Encouragement for Real Life podcast episode, we peered into the truth of who we are. We addressed the thoughts we think and the words we say about ourselves. And, as I mentioned in the podcast, sometimes who we say we are doesn’t line up with who God says we are.

Sometimes it helps to look up a word to understand its context. So, I looked up the word identity. Dictionary.com defines it as: condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is; the qualities, beliefs, etc., that distinguish or identify a person or thing.

Think about your identity. Who do you say you are?

Oftentimes we base our identities on what we do, our occupations, our achievements, or our education. Sometimes we identify ourselves by our marital status, our parental status, or our socioeconomic status. Some of us find our identities in our beliefs, morals, or character. And yet sometimes we allow external sources and how others view us to determine our identities.

From what or whom do you base your identity?

I can say I’m a wife, a mom, a grandma, a friend, a sister, and an Iowa girl. I’m also a podcaster, a business owner, a writer, an encourager, and a speaker. I can also say I’m a Christian, a student of the Bible, and a women who isn’t perfect. These are all based on what I do, what I believe, and how I live my life. They may be true of me, but do these make up my true identity?

Actually, they don’t.

My true identity has nothing to do with me and everything to do with God. Why do I say that? Because God created me, He is the source of my identity. And because He is the source, what He says about me is what matters. Not what I say about me. Scripture is full of truth of our God-given identities.

Take a look at Ephesians 1, for example. Here Paul addresses the church at Ephesus and explains their identity found in God’s Son, Jesus. This is also known as an “identity in Christ.” That simply means when we believe in Jesus and all He is and all He’s done, we are “in Christ.”

So, when we are in Christ, according to Ephesians 1, we are given every spiritual blessing from God. We are loved unconditionally, we are accepted, adopted, forgiven, chosen, and redeemed. We are blameless, pure, and immersed in God’s grace. And we also receive the hope of eternity with God forever. The thing is, when we are in Christ, our identity remains constant. It cannot be changed by anything we do or don’t do.

Our God-given identity is our true identity.

Because when your identity and mine is based on us, it’s impossible for us to be secure and confident in who we are. Because we mess up. We make mistakes. We may lose the thing in life we find our identity in. And when that happens, our self-imposed identities suffer. When our identities are based on external circumstances, we cannot find consistency because our circumstances change. When our identities and our God-given identities differ, we become confused and unconfident about who we truly are.

Only when our identities are found in Jesus can we thrive as the person God created us to be.

So, instead of seeing who we are through our own eyes, let’s begin to see who we are through God’s eyes.

I’ve created a printable to help that features 26 God-given identity truths of who we are. You can find it on my free Resources page.

When we begin to live out our God-given identity, we become different women. We not only reflect Jesus, but we shine bright for Him in this world.

Friend, I pray your identity is always your God-given identity. You are who God says you are. Not you, not anyone else. Not your past, nor who you used to be. God created you magnificently and has good plans for your life. You are His amazing daughter.

God bless you, friend.