What or Who Defines Your Identity?

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What or Who Defines Your Identity?

We identify ourselves as so many different things in this life: a mother, a daughter, a sister, a teacher, a saleswoman, a nurse, a musician, a techie, a reader, a friend, a mentor, or a disciple.

However, none of these things actually defines us. It’s not that these titles have a negative connotation—in fact, many of these identity descriptions are very positive! It’s incredible and beautiful to be a mama or to have a career you’re passionate about. However, we must not make the mistake of believing our title, job, or income defines who we are, our identity.

The truth – the worldly labels are temporary. No matter how great the title may seem or how important we feel when a tag is assigned to us, we must recognize that it does not define who we are at the core of our being, and it will not last. Our identity should not be based on worldly titles. Our true identity should be grounded in God, our biblical identity.

Our Identity Was Established Before We Were Born

Our true identity is established before we are born. In Psalms, David writes, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” Psalm 139:14 (NIV). The Message version reads: “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – you are breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day” Psalm 139:14-16 (MSG).

Our Heavenly Father saw us before our bodies were fully formed in our mother’s womb. No matter who we are on earth, no matter where we went to college, who our friends are, or what we do every day, we are, first and foremost, God’s creation. And He’s a perfect God who makes no mistakes. Therefore, we can rest assured that our identity was established in the mind of God far before we were even conceived.

Additionally, we were declared made in the image of God right from the beginning of time. In the creation account, we read, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27 (NIV). God made man in the reflection of His image, and so we are. That is true from eternity to eternity.

Our Identity Cannot Be Shaken

If our biblical identity was established even before we were born, it is not contingent on our behavior. We didn’t do anything to earn our identity as a beloved child of God, so we cannot do anything to lose it. It is based on God’s unchanging love, not on our ability to perform and achieve a certain standard.

In his epistle, John writes, “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 (NIV). We are His beloved children!

It’s not up to us to maintain our identity, and if it were, we would certainly have lost it by now. We are called by God, we don’t lose our identity when we make mistakes or poor choices, because our identity is founded on Jesus and His work, not what we do or our effort.

The True Meaning of Biblical Identity

To live out our biblical identity, we need to understand what it is – the true meaning of who we are and whose we are.

Too many of us turn to worldly sources to define who we are. Once again, we define ourselves by what we do or what role we fulfill on earth. Or, we define ourselves by what we hear other people say about us. We may even define ourselves by our own opinions of ourselves.

So, it is significant to our spiritual growth that we know and lean on God’s Word and who He says we are. And, my dear friends, we can only do this through our study of the Bible. Spending time in God’s Word is essential to our belief in who we are and who we were created to be. The Bible is the only infallible source of wisdom and truth in this broken world, and we must take time every day to get into God’s Word and refresh our minds about who we actually are.

You are Chosen

1 Peter reads, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV).

Reflect on this passage. Slowly read through the verse and take in every Word of God. Meditate on who He says you are because this is your unshakeable identity. Let these words sink deep into your heart: chosen, a royal priesthood, holy, God’s special possession, called into His marvelous light.

I pray these words fill you with your true identity because YOU are chosen.

Living Out Your Biblical Identity

Once you truly believe in your biblical identity, who you are, and whose you are in Christ, you’ll begin to live a life of freedom. Free to be who you were created to be, the daughter of the King.

Once we accept our identity, we will live with confidence and be loved like we truly are. And, we will share with others what Christ has done in our lives. We will tell others the importance of their identity in Christ, encouraging other women as we grow spiritually.

Most importantly, we will filter everything that other people say about us and what we say about ourselves through the lens of Scripture that we know so well. Every time we mess up, we will go back to the grace of God and remind ourselves that He’s taken care of it all. We can let go and be free to be who we are – a daughter of the King.

So, as we step confidently into the second week of the new year, a new decade, let’s begin to put these things into practice. Get into the Bible and find out who you really are. Wipe away the lies you’ve been told (or that you’ve told yourself) and fill your mind with God’s truth. Because your biblical identity is your only identity—everything else doesn’t matter. Why? Because God said so!

If you’re looking for help with your identity or current situation, please reach out. I am here to walk with you through your current season of life–one in which many might shrink back for fear of lost identity–it is a prime time for us to step boldly forward in discovering ourselves and offering who we are and whose we are to the world!

You are a Daughter of the King!