Identity And Purpose

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

I was a little relieved to return to work after my first child was born.

It wasn’t that I didn’t love being a mom—I did and still do. My children have always been a delight. Yet, in some ways, I felt ill-equipped. The enormity of knowing that my newborn baby’s ability to survive rested on my shoulders was a weight I took seriously. I wanted to do it right, and I was worried that I wouldn’t.

Working at a job I loved, on the other hand, was a role in which I was confident. It was something I’d done for many years. When I walked through the door to work, deep inside, I felt like I could fully exhale.

With the wisdom of hindsight, I realize now that I had confused identity and purpose. I wanted to know that I was valued and valuable, that I still had an identity outside of being a mother. Even though I knew that working inside the home was just as meaningful and beneficial as working outside the home, I struggled to navigate who I was now that I’d added “parent” to the labels I wore.

I forgot the truth that our identity is found primarily and always in Jesus. All other labels come second.

The truth is, I craved a sense of purpose. But our purpose isn’t tied to what we do—whether it’s parenting, a career, or anything else. Instead, our purpose is intrinsic to who we are as God’s beloved children. Our purpose is to know him and make him known—whether that’s inside our homes, in a career, in our neighborhoods or communities, or in our everyday life.

Trying to tie our purpose to any single aspect of who we are (apart from being a child of God) will only frustrate us or make us question our worth. Thankfully, our gracious God is steadfast; no matter the different roles we take on throughout life, his purpose and our identity remain true. By embracing his vision for us, we can live our lives full of the purpose with which he’s endowed us.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

What is your purpose? Spend time thanking God for the ways his purpose has and will be accomplished in your life.