My True Identity
By Sarah Walker
For we are [God’s] workmanship...
Ephesians 2:10a (ESV)
Ephesians 2:10a (ESV)
We live in a world
where oftentimes our value, our worth, is measured according to our
performance. Sometimes the pressures are spoken, and sometimes they are merely
felt. I have succumbed to these pressures to perform in the past. My identity,
self-worth and value has been thoroughly intertwined with my performance. Can
you relate?
It is so easy to
become wrapped up in our performance - - to judge how lovable we are to God
based on how we feel or what we are accomplishing. But that is not the way of
God. My true identity is rooted and grounded in Him. My value is in Him. Only
He determines what success is for me. Not my ability. Not my performance. Not
the approval of others. Not the rejection of others.
I am His workmanship.
He created good works for me to walk in. He will see the work He is doing in me
through to its completion. I am His child. He has adopted me. He is my heavenly
Father. I am loved by Him, and that is all that matters. He created me,
fashioned me and intimately knows me. My identity is in Him and Him alone. My
true identity is secure in Him when I have a feel-good-about-my-performance day
just as much as when I have a performance-failure day. He is my true anchor.
In God, there is
truth. There is forgiveness for sin and forgiveness for failures in
performance. There is grace. In Him, a heart willing to serve and be obedient
to Him is more important than executing perfectly that which He has asked me to
do. The god of performance is not so gracious and forgiving.
In God, my identity is
rooted in Jesus. I am God’s workmanship. I am His creation. I don’t have to
force it. I don’t have to work to keep my identity there; it already is! God
has promised to keep me. He has promised He won’t lose me. He has promised that
He won’t leave me or forsake me. I am His. I belong to Him. Forever. And the
evil one can’t, and won’t, be able to snatch me away from His hands. I am a
child of God. Dearly loved for who I am, not what I’ve done.
GOING DEEPER:
1.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior, do you believe this is true about you? If so, declare who you are in
Jesus!
2. When the temptation comes to define yourself by your performance, remind yourself what God’s Word says: You are God’s workmanship!
2. When the temptation comes to define yourself by your performance, remind yourself what God’s Word says: You are God’s workmanship!
Sarah
is married to Scott and is a full-time mom to their two young sons. She and
Scott co-lead a summer/winter neighborhood small group.
