Identity & Perspective

Identity is a sense of one’s self, a combination of past, present, and future experiences. Identity is composed of an individual’s qualities, beliefs, personality, looks, and expression of their unique characteristics. Some people have a strong sense of identity. They are confident in who they are. Others don’t. They have to search. It’s easy to get confused, overwhelmed, and lost in the continuously changing world.

So where’s the constant? This is where Jesus comes in. When we love and follow Jesus, we have an anchor that the world does not have. We have Jesus. Jesus is our constant in a chaotic world. He becomes the center of our identity. Jesus is a part of our identity that we share.

If the core of our identity is placed in Jesus, then it doesn’t matter what changes come to our worldly identity. The core of who we are remains. Does it mean those changes will be easy? No. But Jesus will use those changes to grow us and shape us into who He created us to be. 

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

He created us in His image. But we are not simply another creation. We reflect God’s love, God’s beauty. God put His image in us.

 

2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

God didn’t create us to be another ornament to the world. God claimed us. He loves us that much. You and I, we are children of the One True King. Our identity is not in our past, our circumstances, or the paths we choose in this world. Our identity is in Him, as His child. And that was an identity no one could ever take away from us. That is an identity that can never change. Jesus is where the core of our identity should be found. 

Placing the entirety of our identity in Jesus can be hard, it is an act of surrender. It takes coming to a point in our lives when we understand that our life is not our own. It takes a shift in our perspective. Our life belongs to Jesus. He gave us life. The good, the bad. All of it. Jesus doesn’t cause bad things to happen, He allows it. For some reason, we needed that trial. Perhaps there was something to be learned, or someone who needed to see what Jesus can do in the fire, or something greater at work that we couldn’t understand. And we don’t need to understand, because Jesus has it in the palm of His hand. He loves us so much and knows just what we need. Jesus has His reasons for what He allows in our lives, and He is not obligated to tell us. Sometimes He will, sometimes He won’t. This is where faith comes in. Hope. Trust. Surrender.

We are created for so much more than our own ambitions. The life we are meant for is a life we are meant to give to others. We can touch people in the good times, the prosperity, the joyful moments. And we can touch others in our pain, the waiting, the storms. Jesus is at work in all of our lives, each and every day. He takes the bad, the ugly, the hurt and transforms it into something beautiful. Jesus has things at work that we cannot comprehend. We can only see a limited perspective of a giant masterpiece. Jesus sees the whole picture.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

To prosper means to grow strong and healthy. But growth doesn’t come without any pain. Life doesn’t come without trials. But thank the Lord we don’t have to go through pain, through life, without Jesus. He is where our identity is found. He is where our perspective on life is found. Jesus loves us so incredibly much and wants only the best for His children. He will never ever leave us. No matter how we feel in the moment, no matter how much we question Him, no matter how many times we stumble and fall, Jesus remains. Jesus loves.