I would like to share some thoughts on what finding our identity in Christ. Notice the first letter of “I”dentity?
This is an interesting irony! We seek to find our identity often by looking at “I”. I this, and I that… We try to figure out who we are from the inside out, but we are working the problem backwards!
When you read the work of an author, you can only say, “the author meant such and such,” if the author happens to agree! When a child creates a thing-a-majig, we ask them, “what is that?” We ask, “what is it for?” Why? Because they alone as the creator know the purpose and meaning of their creation.
You and I are created beings. We cannot dictate what our purpose is, or what our purpose is not. We cannot declare a motive for our creation. We cannot redefine who we are and how we are to function. It is up to our Creator to enlighten us as to how we are designed and how we are to function. It is up to our Creator to set the limits on our behaviors so we conform to His higher purpose and operate in the fullness of our design.
Therefore, our “I”dentity, must change and we must seek our God-dentity instead. When we function according to our Creator’s instructions, we will find peace, joy and love are rampant in our lives and in our hearts! When we operate outside of those instructions, we will find ourselves beleaguered with stress, bitterness and disease.
So, how do we find our true “God”dentity? In God’s Word. God is Love. Love is a relational quality, not a religious activity. We are called to operate in love in our relationships. When we look at our relationships, we will find the Lord has clear instruction and illustration of what He expects of us. We each have a four-fold God-dentity. It is found as we walk uprightly in our four stations in life.
For men, those stations are:
1 – Son
2 – Brother
3 – Husband
4 – Father
For Women:
1 – Daughter
2 – Sister
3 – Wife
4 – Mother
Having grown progressively through each stage and diligently living out our calling to fulfill the responsibilities of each stage, it is no wonder we come full circle and in fatherhood/motherhood are now ready to rear a Godly generation who stand tall in the face of evil and do good always.
In all of our human relationships, we have elements of one or more of these core identities at work.
As a son, I learned to honor my father and mother. Now, I learn to display that honor to my elders in the church and even in society at large.
In Christ, I am your brother. I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper as well. I am to go to you in love and resolve issues, not slay you as Cain did Abel.
As a husband, I am to lay down my life for my wife, as Christ laid down His life for the Church (Me included). I am to set aside my right to be right if it causes my wife to stumble. I am to build up my wife, as Christ builds up the Church. It is in loving, covering, nurturing that my role as a husband will be fulfilled. There is not much room for an “I” dentity in marriage – on either side.
As a father, I am to nurture and protect. I am to provide and defend my home from all harm – physical and more importantly, spiritual. I am the priest for my children. They are to see the Lord working through me. They are to witness the love of the Father above from whom every good and perfect gift comes.
These are tall orders! Thankfully we have a lifetime to learn to walk in them and we have the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us and empower us in all truth. So, if you are having trouble figuring out who you are, I encourage you to take a look at these four stations of life. Learn to live Godly in these areas and the Lord will show you who you really are in this world!
I would like to further this discussion in due course, but I would like to know your thoughts on what you have just read…..
Blessings to you and yours,
Tim