where is my identity?

A primary question I regularly ask myself is where my identity lies. Am I looking to my preconceived ideas of who I am and how I’ve been shaped by the world around me since I was a kid? Am I allowing those ideas or feelings of what I’ve been told or the things I’ve done, or what I tell myself, to rule my life on a daily basis? Who is shaping my identity as a person? Me? Others? Past relationships, World view? Opinion? If I find myself in that place of allowing my identity to be defined by something that is fluid, ever changing, emotional, high and low like waves crashing, and not found in unwavering, never changing TRUTH, then YIKES.

Our emotions, opinions, ideas, and processes of how we do things are all defined by some influence somewhere and depending on where we are at, the source of where we rely on our feedback tends to change. But guess what, God didn’t design us to constantly be searching for all the sources and places to find our truth about our lives, drive, passions, and identity. God calls us to look to Him every single day to see our past, present, and future self and to see the reality of who we were created to be. Because I can guarantee you no matter where you are in your walk with the Lord, your vision for your life will always pale in comparison for the plans He has made for you if you truly walk with Him in fulfilling them. God has given each of us an eternal purpose for our lives, and no matter what the world says to you, you were created perfectly and uniquely in His image to carry His image out to the world around you. That is your purpose, that is your drive. When we don’t look to God to drive us and give us purpose, we will constantly chase and seek every other avenue possible to fill that void in our lives. We will seek material pleasures, the nice car, perfect spouse, pretty house, perfect family, newest things, best vacations, best paying job, etc. We will also operate out of a place of always chasing down the next big thing in our lives, the next event, like that promotion, vacation, bigger house, next expansion, new product, next relationship, new hobby, more followers on social media, more knowledge, etc. We will fill our time with everything but God, and always feel empty once we’ve exhausted the excitement and interest of the newest thing, idea, achievement, relationship, or experience. Then it is on to the next thing, whatever that may be for you.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

But what if I told you we weren’t designed to chase the material world, what if you believed, that if you lived with none of these things and sought relationship and identity from our Almighty Creator God, you would NEVER feel empty, without passion, love, joy, excitement, drive and an unwavering identity rooted in truth. God is all of that for His people and then SO MUCH MORE. You were created for more than just yourself and whatever revolves around you in your life. God created you for greater calling, serving a greater Kingdom than your own. You are not supposed to be the king or queen of your life. There is only one King, and His name is Jesus Christ Emmanuel, Son of God, and He gave his life for you, so you would have the opportunity to serve our Lord God and take a seat at his heavenly table when you pass through this life and on to the next. God desires to work with you and through you in your life, if you will allow Him. He wants to see you fulfill the calling on your life to the fullest and not squander it on the things of the world that you can’t take to the grave. When you die, God desires that you leave a mark on the world that can’t be erased by the world. A Divine mark of His Kingdom, an impact that spurs others to do the same, make more disciples of Christ, see more people enter the Kingdom of Heaven when they finish their work here. A by product of that being the ultimate unwavering passion and mission of your life, is a beautiful thing, you will be found operating out of a love and joy for yourself and others in your life that can only be defined as Divine. Love and joy of divine nature is like a fire that never burns out or burns others, it spreads and grows touching other people bringing light and a warmth to their lives they have never seen before.

Saying let’s go with God means we trash all the ideas the world throws at us as far as what it looks like to have a good life, be a good person, and be successful. I promise you, with God, pressing into His vision for how He created you, the sinless you, there will be intense growth in seeing who you are and what you can REALLY do when you let HIM do the work. God can help you shed your pride, anger, fear, anxiety, depression, lust, insecurities, frustration, sadness, striving, overachieving, and anything else you could define in your life as a life sucking quality that stresses you out and drives you to seek comfort. With God, you are capable of SO MUCH MORE, because He starts to cultivate this new life in front of your eyes. Those old ways of yourself start to fall away, and you start to see what can be, who you really are, and it DOESN’T CHANGE, because GOD’s TRUTH DOESN’T CHANGE. So as we get further into this idea of Let Go to Let’s Go, I’ll press more into specific ways that we do that and say YES to God’s will for our life. Because man He has plans that you and I can’t even begin to fathom that bring the greatest glory to Him and the greatest positive impact to ourselves and the community around us.

Thus says the Lord… Do not call on former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. “

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19