Our identity gives us vision and vision gives us purpose
by Becky Johnson
As young people, we are constantly being faced with this enormous question: “Who am I?”
Whether it’s parents and teachers asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” or “What are you doing after you graduate?” or it’s ourselves trying to figure out what makes us unique…in one form or another, it seems we are inundated with this question.
This identity thing is a big deal. Our identity defines us and in turn, determines how we will act, what decisions we will make, what we will stand up for, or what we will let pass. Compromises and sacrifices hang in the balance of who we decide we are. It’s not wise to let something like this go undecided. Our identity gives us vision and vision gives us purpose. Proverbs 29:18 says, “where there is no vision, the people perish”. We are not called to be a generation without a vision!! We are called to be a generation of leaders and influencers. We can’t lead and influence others if we ourselves are still looking to someone or something to define us. You can be certain that if you don’t define yourself, someone else will for you.
But fear not, because the beautiful thing is that there is someone who we can allow the permission to define us and that’s God, our Father. He created us, He knew us before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5). So it’s safe to assume that He knows us best. And God has good things to say about us!! He believes in us, and Psalm 37:4 says that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart. God is on your side and He doesn’t define us based on our actions. God defines us by who we are and over and over again in the Bible God reveals to us who He has called us to be. None of it depends on what we do.
- We are children of God (John 1:12)
- We are friends with Christ (John 15:15)
- We have been justified (Romans 5:1)
- We are citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20)
Jesus knew who He was and because He was confident in His identity He could fulfill the call and mission for His life. Being secure in who we are allows us the freedom to do what we are called to do. Being someone God didn’t ever call us to be just creates stress and gives other things or people the opportunity to define us. So the next time you’re faced with the question “Who are you?”, remember that nothing you do gives you definition, but who you are…and you are God’s.
(This article was originally posted on jesusculture.com)
