The Firmest Identity

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

“Tell me about yourself.”

For the longest time, whenever I heard that comment, it would tie me in knots. Do they mean professionally? Do they mean personally? Which labels are the right labels for this occasion? I’d find myself carefully evaluating the social situation and responding accordingly, identifying myself through the labels I thought most relevant in the particular setting: attorney, board chair, adjunct professor, or wife to Aaron, mom of two, dog owner, proud lefty. I’d gauge what my questioner was looking for and respond with the pieces of me that best fit their desired narrative.

And while chunking myself up into various pieces is a function of navigating the world, I’ve learned that those pieces of me are not my full identity. They are merely describers of roles and attributes, and adopting any one of those as my identity is a formula for heartache and confusion—a trap the world often trips into.

If I’ve mistaken roles and attributes for my identity, when one of them changes—whether by my choice or not—I risk being cast into an identity crisis. And what of the negative roles or attributes placed on me, things I would not choose if it were up to me? Those are also not my identity. And they are not your identity either.

When we decide to love Jesus and abide by his Word, our identity becomes rooted in him. I am thankful that with an unshakable foundation in Jesus, our labels and attributes can shift and change without tossing us into a crisis over who we are and what we are called to do. Our mission is clear: we are to love God with our whole hearts, strength, minds, and souls, and we are to love others as ourselves (see Matthew 22:34-40). When we adopt Jesus as our foundation and the greatest commandment as our primary mission, every label and every attribute is viewed through and informed by the lens of loving God and loving others because we belong to Jesus.

This realization has been breathtakingly life-giving to me, even as the journey of periodically re-rooting my identity remains ongoing. Jesus is our Savior and our firm foundation, and my soul rejoices in that truth.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Prayerfully evaluate where you have conflated your identity with roles and attributes. If necessary, make changes, thanking God for your firm position in Christ.