Imagine you’re looking in the mirror. How do you answer the question, “Who am I?” How do you see yourself?
Listen…to your thoughts. What do you hear? Is it one of these common thoughts that whisper to many women/men in midlife and beyond? “I’m not good enough…There’s nothing special about me…I’m too old…I’m too afraid…I’ll probably just fail again.”
Maybe the words you hear are different, but many hear whispers that reflect a negative self-image rather than the image God wants them to see of themselves.
Even as a Christian woman or man in the midlife years and beyond, when you’ve internalized so many negative messages over the years from other people, the world around you, or even your own thoughts, these self-limiting beliefs can become the default in your mind–louder than the voice of God telling you otherwise. And when you’re listening to these thoughts daily, finding your identity in Christ–truly in Christ alone–can be difficult.
But you might be thinking that you’re saved and you’re working on Christian growth in your character to reflect God’s love, become more Christlike, and live your daily life in a way that pleases God. And you’re encouraging others and sharing about Jesus to make disciples. So, if you’re already focusing on all these aspects of your faith, why is it important to know your identity in Christ more fully–and what does that mean?
*What does fully finding your identity in Christ mean?*
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ ~Acts 17:28a
Do you ever sit still before the Lord and ask yourself, “What is my identity in Christ?” You’re likely aware that it’s Him you are in a relationship with. So most of the time the focus is on how identity is defined in your inner life in the spiritual sense.
However, what may be considered less often is that because “who you are” in your spiritual life affects “what you do” in your physical body in this physical world, your identity is also reflected in your outer life in the practical sense. Even outside of formal spiritual practices, who you are in Christ is also meant to be expressed in the practical activities of your daily life.
The extent to which you live out your spiritual identity determines the extent to which your true identity shows up in your practical life.
So as a believer, all that you are and all that you do is in Christ. You were made for all of your thinking, being, and doing to please God and bring Him glory.
Not seeing yourself the way God sees you isn’t pleasing to God–it breaks His heart. Not embracing your true identity holds you back from opportunities to bring Him glory, especially related to expressing your purpose. Then overall, you miss out on experiencing the fullness of His vision for you and your life.
When your heart, mind, and spirit aren’t set on God’s truth about you, you think less of yourself, live in a state of being that doesn’t reflect how much He (God) loves and values you, and act in ways that don’t move you toward His will for your life.
___“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace”
(Romans 8:6)___
If you set your mind on the Spirit, your view of yourself will align with God’s view of you. Being intentional in stepping into the spiritual and practical aspects of your identity puts you on the path to fulfilling His plan for your life–maximizing both your impact and fulfilment.
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