I think too often we as humans are fickle with our identities. We so easily take to heart how others label us, how our successes define us, how our failures ruin us, and we forget that we already possess an immovable foundation, an unchangeable identity in God. We clothe ourselves in a worldly perspective, when our Heavenly Father is the only One capable of looking at us through the lens of perfect grace.
The Lord has recently been radically sifting the inner-workings of my heart when it comes to my identity, challenging the feelings of inadequacy that have gradually taken root in my life. He has been, quietly but firmly, reminding me who I am. Not what the world may say, but what He says in His Word.
It is so easy to lose sight of how God views us, especially in a world so broken and fallen as the one in which we live. But I’ve been learning that He delights in the gift of grace, and deeply longs for us to accept it for ourselves.
We are imperfect people, but we serve a perfect God. And in His infinite goodness, He redeems even our most devastating failures in order to create beautiful testimonies. He is the ultimate Overcomer, and He hands the victory over to us when we choose to chase after Him rather than our own perfection.
There is great peace that comes with choosing to push aside our own failures and run boldly to the One who forgives, time and time again. Choosing to clothe ourselves with grace rather than self-deprecation. Choosing to turn our backs on criticism and embrace the Lord’s gift of freedom.
As I was praying recently that the Lord would teach me to walk in His grace more fully, He brought a specific passage to my mind:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God…” (Colossians 3:2-3)
Hidden with Christ. If my identity were truly hidden with Christ, would I suffer as greatly from worldly rejection? Would I cower in the face of failure, or even strive to earn acceptance through my success? Would it matter to me how well I perform in this life?
We are called to walk in the light, just as He is in the light. This means dying to ourselves and clothing ourselves in His identity — an identity that will never change with our failures. It is steadfast. Through Him, we are more than conquerors; we are carriers of His Spirit; we are the light of the world; we are chosen as a royal priesthood; we are loved by the Almighty God; we are saved by the most beautiful grace.
And we are called to live like it.
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“Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:3-4
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3
Casting Anchors 