Identity
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about identity. Identity is defined in the dictionary as the condition of being oneself and not another. It could also be said that our identity distinguishes the condition in which our beliefs, qualities, and character shape who we are.
I can remember my days as a middle school student. (No, I don’t like to spend too much of my time pondering those days, but for the topic of this article, it suits my point). I went through a very interesting exploration of my identity, as most middle school children do. I found myself trying to fit-in with friends, and the group of people that I started hanging out with were skaters. So, I went to a store called Buckle to shop for new skater jeans. And, yes, I even wore the long chain that connected from the back pocket to the front. I really thought that I had arrived! Thankfully, this season quickly faded after I almost broke my neck trying to perform skater tricks that didn’t go well.
I share this story with you to say that, like all people at some point in their life, I was searching for my identity. Later in life as a musician, I found my identity in what I did as a performing percussionist and, quite honestly, I was very good at what I did. But sooner than later, I learned that was a false identity as well.
It wasn’t until I came to know Jesus and developed a relationship with God that I tasted something so good that I wanted to know more. The Psalmist writes, “Taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Psalm 34:8). That’s exactly what I did.
The year was 2004 and I was 22 years old. This was a transforming year for me. Jesus brought me back to the promises given to me in my baptism and reminded me that He had never left me, but was patiently waiting for me to return to Him. This was a defining moment in my life because I finally knew who I was: a child of God, dearly loved by Jesus.
The Apostle John reminds us of this wonderful truth when he says: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). We are the children of God because that’s who God made us to be in Jesus. In the holy waters of baptism, God claims our lives and makes us His very own. He delivers us from sin, death, and the devil and grants to us the promise of everlasting life that no one or no thing can take away. For Jesus said in the Gospel of John with boldness and confidence, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
In this current season of my life, I’m in-between churches and deeply contemplating God’s call and direction over my life. With a gentle whisper, I hear these words from the Spirit of God: “Brian, I’m not so much concerned about what you do as I am with who you are becoming in the process.” In these words, I can hear the echo of Saint Paul, saying, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
Here’s the truth: What you do always flows out of who you are. The call of God on every believer in Jesus invites us to discern the unique ways in which God’s glory and creative power has designed us in His likeness and image. Recently, I was asked by a trusted counselor how God’s image and glory is being displayed in my life. The question resonated deep within my spirit in a way that leads me closer in my daily walk with Jesus.
So, let me ask you: How is God’s creative power and glory being manifested in your life? How has God uniquely designed and created you to reflect His image to the world in which you live?
I’m called to be a pastor, but that’s not who I am; it’s what I do. I am a child of the Most High God. I am a forgiven sinner whose life has been set free by the blood of the Lamb. I am a saint of God, not because of what I have done, but precisely because of what Jesus has done for me, shedding His pure and innocent blood that I might be redeemed. I am a disciple of Jesus who continues to be shaped and formed by the power of the Holy Spirit living within me. I am a work in progress who’s been deeply touched by God’s unmerited grace, mercy, and favor. I am a born-again, spirit-filled, follower of Jesus, living a life of purpose and passion to see others come to know Jesus. Simply put: I am a sinner saved by the amazing grace of God. That’s who I am, not what I do. It doesn’t matter what I do as much as it does that I know who I am.
How about you? Do you know who you are? Are you walking in sin? Are you letting the power of the evil one have his way in your life? Or, do you know Jesus? Have you been set free from your sin to live for Jesus and others?
My prayer for you is that you would come to know who you truly are in Jesus: a dearly beloved son or daughter of God. I leave you with the encouraging words of Ralph Ellison: “When you discover who you are, then you’ll be free.”