Your identity does not come from your experiences. That statement may be easy to agree with but difficult to believe. Your identity is more fundamental than your experiences. There are some universal …
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Your identity does not come from your experiences. That statement may be easy to agree with but difficult to believe. Your identity is more fundamental than your experiences. There are some universal basic truths about human identity. The Bible talks about them and you can see it in our world. All humans everywhere for all time are creatures created by God (see Genesis 1:27 and Acts 17:24-25). But, humans cannot interact with God because of sin. In other words, there is a separation between God and humans. That is not how God intended it to be during the creation (see Romans 3:23 or Isaiah 59:2). Our identity got messed up and it put us on a path to death (see Romans 6:23a).
We ask ourselves, “What do I have to do to be somebody in this world? What is it that gives me satisfaction and contentment? How can I know that I am enough?”
We end up comparing ourselves with others and competing against others to establish for ourselves a sense of worth. The problem with this type of thinking is that it does not produce a secure identity. You can feel good about yourself for a little while. Inevitably though, your identity will be challenged and then you have to work to protect your identity. Living this way means that your identity can be taken from you.
If my worth is not based on what happens to me or what I do, then who am I? I heard a quote a few weeks ago from a man named Neil Walker. He said, “God relates to you based on his love for you.”
That changes everything! God loves you no matter what. No matter how you measure up to others and no matter what place you finish in, you can be sure that God loves you the same. He desires that you would want to be with him. As you get to know him more your love for him will grow. The one who created you says you are significant simply because he says so.
God loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus to take the punishment for your sins so that you can be with him (see John 3:16 and Romans 6:23b). God offers the gift of salvation. An aspect of that gift is a new identity that nobody can take away; an identity where your worth is based on what God says about you. God says you are worth everything to him, even dying on a cross. That’s a lot of love (see Romans 5:8 and 1 John 4:10). Your identity is not based on your experiences, it is based on accepting and receiving God’s love for you. It can be difficult to understand, but your new identity is as easy as believing. Your new identity in Christ is received, not achieved.
(Hunter Christner is associate staff at Campus Ventures in Powell.)