Who Are You?
Who are you? Have you ever taken a second and truly thought on this? What are some of your first answers that come to mind? Like many others, you may think of your role in your family, your career, your role in friendships, your gender, and your role in church.
America is in an identity crisis right now. From your political views, sexual orientation, religious views, to gender, everything is fluid. We can be whomever we choose, literally, and express ourselves however we like, and the world is celebrating. However, if you are not celebrating these changes for expression, you may be thought of as rigid and out of date.
So, again, who are you?
About two years ago, Tauren Wells spoke with WAY FM about identity (you can find the interview here). His words have stuck with me all this time, and changed my view on how I perceive my own identity. He explained how three things make up a person: their identity, their calling, and their assignments. This idea can be viewed as an upside down pyramid. Identity is at the top of this pyramid. Purpose or calling is next, and assignment is at the bottom of the pyramid.
IDENTITY
PURPOSE
ASSIGNMENT
A devotional Bible study on what the Scriptures have to say about who God is, who we are in Him as a new creation, and what our purpose is on this earth. Includes a downloadable 30-page PDF study with accompanying live video studies from our winter 2019 online small group.
Your identity is found in Christ. You are a child of God - that is your identity. Purpose is your God-given calling for your life. Next, assignment is something temporary God has placed you in. Unfortunately, we usually get these all mixed up. We think our identity is our assignment.
For example, I am a child of God (John 1:12). That is my identity. I believe my purpose is to help others, in whatever capacity I am able. Some of my assignments currently range from aunt, worship leader, friend, among others. We often use our jobs or family name as an identifying factor. Sometimes, we let our physical appearance - like our weight, hair, or skin problems - consume our identity. Even age, or the fear of turning a certain age, can consume someone and their identity. Many times parents, unbeknownst to them, allow that role to become their identity.
While being a parent, having a career, having relationships are not bad things at all, if we allow those roles to become all that we are, and let our relationship with Jesus take a back seat, we may need to re-evaluate.
So again, I ask you, who are you? Your identity is tied to whatever you give your heart to. Matthew 6:21 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If you feel lost in your assignments or the world’s view of you, you can become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we decide to find our identity in Christ, we are declaring we are chosen (1 Peter 2:9) and created in God’s likeness (Ephesians 4:24).
Pray to find your calling so you can live out your assignments to the best of your abilities, but no matter what, do not lose your identity. You are a child of God.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Whitney can be described by the opening lyrics of a few Tom Petty songs. She's a good girl who grew up in a small Indiana town who loves her mama, Jesus, and America too. She practices medicine as a physician assistant at an urgent care. Whitney is a music enthusiast and leads worship at her church. She has a heart for people, and wants to help young girls and women find their worth in Christ rather than what the world says of them. Whitney loves a good dad joke, the outdoors, spending time with family and friends, Southern manners, working on her fitness, attempting Pinterest crafts, and cheering on Indiana University basketball.