By Matt Bancroft
July 27, 2012
Our identity is something that we want to discover and maintain. We write books on the topics of searching for significance and finding our life's purpose, but perhaps we have missed it. Maybe God doesn't want us to search this world for meaning and purpose. Could it be that God wants us to find those things in Him?
God has quite literally stolen our identity. To steal means to take something with no intention of returning it. That is exactly what we asked Him to do when we accepted Him and chose to follow Jesus. The sin that was bored into our soul was replaced by the law of God, written onto each of our hearts. That same name was a refuge to an army of Israel, it defeated a giant, rescued God's people from Egypt and the name was nailed to a cross for my sin and yours.
That name is etched into our hearts. God has stolen our identity. We are representatives of the most powerful name in the universe. That is the name I call upon when I am weak. That is the name that has redeemed my soul and cleansed me. That name is everything.
This devotion is adapted from an article on RELEVANTmagazine.com.
Talk About It
How can surrendering your identity to Christ's empower you to find an even greater sense of personal identity?
5 Comments
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Rachel commented…
As a self-admitted personality test addict, I really like this article. Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, Big 5 Personality Traits.... I've done them all. Over time I've realized that I believe-- the more I understand who I am, and what I am good at, the more direction I'll have.
I've learned over time that by only better understand God's character am I able to have real faith. And I keep learning: "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
I've never heard that Pslam, I love it! Never forsaken those who seek Him...
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Heather M. Ferroni commented…
I totally relate to @e59c649bcf805f249e76958abc4f0e39:disqus. I too am fascinated by the study and colaboration of what phychologists and researchers find in personality profiles and such. However, I realize it's another form of trying to slap a label on us or put us into a box, so-to-speak. It's contrary towhat God intends as He has created us in His image and each with unique qualities. I have to remind myself to not be so consumed with what catagory I fit in and seek for the Holy Spirit to help lead me to a greater understanding of my divinely intended purpose.
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guest84 commented…
I have always been a people pleaser and put my identity into what others think of me. I am beginning to learn that my identity is in Christ and the only thing that matters is what he thinks of me. He loves and cherishes me, and that is the most wonderful feeling to ever experience. The more I seek God and know how much he loves me, the more I will become the person, wife, mother that he wants me to be.
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Ryan B commented…
The more I learn to find my identity in Christ, the more free I feel. I feel free from people pleasing, free from my past and free to grow more in Him. Not to forget my past and not learn from it, but by the grace we have in Jesus, free from letting feelings of guilt and inadequacy paralyse me.I think that's a real tool that Satan can use on Christians is identity confusion or crisis.
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Festo David Lubwama commented…
true! The more I desire and learn to be like Christ, the more I have become my self and discover who really I am.
Its GOD who knows us most and by trusting Him with our fears, visions and aspirations he can lead us to what he really created us for!!
Only doing what GOD created us for can bring significance and lasting satisfaction in our lives!!!
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