I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore—the Truest Thing About You

Finding your identity in God’s love holds the power to change every aspect of your life.

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Twelve years ago, I stepped into a season of major transition.  I remember looking out the window one balmy summer morning and uttering the words, “I don’t know who I am anymore.”

We’ll revisit my identity crisis in a moment.  First, take a moment to consider your most common responses when another person asks you to describe yourself.

You might talk about your job, your family, or your hobbies.  Maybe you share your interests and talk about the place where you live.

Now, imagine how you would feel if these aspects of your life were suddenly stripped away.

Consider what you’d tell people if you lost your job, your family, and your ability to enjoy your hobbies. You might find it difficult to describe your identity.

 

I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore

Back to my identity crisis . . .

My summer morning at the window took place in the middle of a grueling illness.  The sickness forced me to step away from my teaching job, abandon every ministry I had invested in, and pull away from every relationship in my life as I cared for my weak body.

For months, I was too ill to read my Bible, go to church, or even worship in song.  I felt like I had nothing to offer God or anyone else.  In short, my identity had been stripped to the bare bones.

As my health gradually improved, the Lord led me to the words of a book I’d never studied: Song of Solomon.  This book changed my life.  God showed me the only part of my identity that can never be taken away: I am God’s beloved.

Song of Solomon 2:16 reads, “My beloved is mine and I am his.”

These words are the core identity of every child of God.

Change is inevitable in life.  At times, these changes make us feel like our identities have been stripped away.

If your identity feels shaken, remember your truest identity.  You are God’s beloved child.  Belovedness is at the core of your identity, and nothing could ever cause God to love you less than he does right now.

 

This Part of Your Identity Will Never Change

You might lose your good looks, your health, your career, and even the people you love—but God’s love will remain with you.  You belong to him, and he belongs to you.

God wants to plant your feet on the firm foundation of your true identity as his beloved child.  He wants to free you to love others without needing their approval or applause.  He wants to set you free from image management.  Most of us spend enormous amounts of energy managing what people think about us.  Imagine the freedom to focus on the needs of others instead of correcting and controlling their perceptions about you.

Today, I encourage you to anchor yourself in God’s love.

You will find the freedom to love your friends without worrying about why they’re not returning your messages.

You won’t need to analyze every conversation three times to make sure you didn’t say the wrong thing.

Finding your identity in God’s love holds the power to change every aspect of your life—from your romantic relationships to your job.  Let’s take a few moments to soak in this truth together right now.

 

Truth for Your “I Don’t Know Who I Am” Moments:

Before we go, take a moment to close your eyes and soak in this Truth: “My beloved Jesus is mine, and I am his.”

Ask God to help you anchor yourself in this truth.  Ask him to help this truth move from your head to your heart—that it might become the foundation for your life.

Every time you walk into a crowded room today (and beyond), instead of wondering what people think about you, ask God to show you someone who needs an encounter with his love.  Take your eyes off of yourself as you aim to be a vessel of God’s love.  You are his beloved, and nothing can change your belovedness. 

 

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Stacey Pardoe

Featured Image by Joe from Pixabay


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About the Author

Stacey Pardoe is a Kingdom Winds Contributor. Stacey's hope is that her words will inspire you to seek God in the midst of your ordinary moments and encounter his love in deeper ways.