What did you major in? What job do you want
to have after college? Are you dating anyone seriously? These are quite common
questions that I’ve heard ever since I was a freshman in college…and not much
has changed in the year since I’ve graduated. Society instills in us this idea
that who we are, is defined by what we do, who we spend time with, what we look
like, and where we came from. Beauty is defined by the photo-shopped images in
magazines that tell us the 5 steps to becoming a better, more successful person.
“Success” is defined by our society through the ideals of American dream. One needs to have a nice house, a
breadwinning husband, 2.5 kids, and a golden retriever (I love goldens, it
could be a lab or collie or something too :P) . Now, I am not saying any of the
things are bad, but it is so easy for us to take those into our hearts and start
creating an identity based on those things, and feel inadequate or not good
enough if we don’t get those things that we apparently “need”.
I’m
from NOVA. I play volleyball. I am a photographer. I love kids. I am a
Communications major. I am single.I’m
on Cru staff. I love Jesus.These are
just a few ways I would describe myself to someone I am just getting to know.
For so long I saw who I was through what I did. Using that lens, in looking at
people who became doctors, or graduated top of their class, or had their own
business…I saw them as better than me, a more successful person at life than me.
I saw myself as someone who wasn’t good enough. I didn’t live up to some
created standard of living because I didn’t have the job that everyone fought
for, or the dream guy that adored me. “There must be something wrong with me”
constantly ran through my head for the first few years of college, and still
creeps back into my heart on occasion. But I went to a conference a few years
back and learned about my identity. My identity is in Christ.God created us in HIS image. We are His image
bearers. The Bible teaches that for us whose identity is in Christ…
There is no condemnation for us (Romans 8:1)
We can never be separated from God’s love (Romans 8:39)
We who are many form one body (Romans 12:5)
We have wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58)
We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
We become God’s children (Galatians 3:26)
We have every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
We have the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7)
We were also chosen (Ephesians 1:11)
We are for the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:12)
We have been seated in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)
These
are just a few I pulled from an article that talks about our identity in
Christ. For the full list, click here.
Just a quick story…
On
Sunday my parents and I went to our local breakfast place after church. There
is a guy who’s worked there forever (no this is not what you think keep
reading.) and is a family friend of ours. He saw me and couldn’t believe that I
was already 23, and that I had grown up into a “lovely young lady”. We ordered
our food and when we went to leave he said to me, “congratulations” (and going through
my head was…uh why? I didn’t just get engaged or get a new job and I’m not
pregnant…) #reasonstocongratulate but then he said, “for being successful at
who you are”. I smiled. God used him to
remind me that it’s not about what I do or where I’m from, but it’s who I am in
Christ.
We are fearfully and wonderfully
made by our Father in Heaven who loves us. He created us for a purpose and has
given us desires and passions that are good! But remember who we are in Christ.
Don’t let “things” define your heart. Don’t compare yourself to others as a
measurement of your identity. See yourself as God sees you. He sees you as his
beloved child who is forgiven and set free. He sees us as beautiful daughters
(and sons, welcome to the women’s blog men) of the King. We shouldn’t be
comparing ourselves to others to find our worth, but looking to Jesus as the
only one who gives us our worth through our identity in Him.