Identity is sometimes such a mysterious topic…who am I? I feel like if you asked me that a month ago I would list off a bunch of character traits, my profession, the fact that I love Jesus, other material things I love, the people I love and the things I do that make me feel “worthy” and “valued”.
This month has been awesome, and so much of what we have focused on and dug into as a team is identity…something I thought I might have had under “control” prior to the race, but I’ve quickly learned I have been placing my identity in so many of the wrong things.
Our team is studying Ephesians together and we are also listening to Pastor Mark Driscoll’s sermons on Ephesians, in which the sermon series is called “Who do you think you are?” After the first sermon I was really convicted of the things I had previously identified with as what defined me…I realized these things were really more like idols in my life.
To make it clear and tangible Pastor Mark broke up the sermon into an acronym if IDOLS, listing things many of us put our identity in:
I- Items (literal “things” we place our worth in: house, car, things that make us beautiful, strong, etc. This looks like purchasing an identity or presentation of who you are. “Identity idolatry will lead to poverty.”)
D- Duties (What you do becomes who you are. Don’t you love that typically in America the second question after ‘What is your name?’ is ‘What do you do?’…We are all guilty of it and I’m sure feel the weight of the need to impress when the question is directed at us.)
O- Others (One of the most common idols…seeking approval/appreciation/worth from people or groups of people. Now more than ever we idolize the opinions of others with the influx of social media. Do you let others define who you are?)
L- Longings (Finding your identity in what you hope will come in your life. Longing for the identity that you want…”When I just get this ____ done life will be good, I will have ‘arrived’.”)
S- Sufferings (Your worst day becomes your defining day. You let your sufferings define you.)
You are not defined by the things you have and how they make you look in the world’s eyes.
You are not defined by your titles, your actions, your responsibilities.
You are not defined by what others think of you. Fear of man is a snare (Proverbs 29:25).
You are not defined by your future and what you think you will become.
Your sufferings might explain you, but they don’t define you. You are not your worst day.
YOU ARE defined by who Christ is IN you. When God sees you He sees the blood of Christ and His sacrifice covering you- he doesn’t see your things, your jobs, your friends’ opinions, your longings for the future or your past and present sufferings…He sees Jesus.
“You are not defined by your past and you are not your worst day, you are defined by what Jesus did for you. Jesus is not trying to ‘recover’ your past, He wants to redeem your present life for His glory.” –Pastor Mark
Typically you will find out what you idolize and claim as your identity when that identifying thing is challenged or taken from you. What thing in your life, if challenged or taken from you, would you react the most strongly toward? Is it your job, your car, your relationships, your hope in your future? It is there you will find your identity idolatry.
I have to be real with you guys and let you know that the Lord has been answering my prayer for refinement. It is so interesting that even since I posted that blog about refinement the Lord has already started to weed some things out of my life…and by the way I have responded I can tell many of those things were idols in my life. My reaction was to defend that thing/relationship but I am slowly learning the Lord will continue to refine me so that my only true identity is in Him.
The things of this world are always shifting and not eternal, but “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things instead of the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25
I want to challenge you all to search your life and your heart and see where your identity idolatry lies. Which area(s) described above can you “identify” with? Expose those areas, surrender to them to the Lord and watch how he redefines your identity…I’m so excited to walk through this process with Him! I know I have only scratched the surface!
On a different note, we leave for Peru TOMORROW!! Wow, how crazy! We will be taking 2 long buses with a large “layover” in between, which will take us 2 days to get to Peru. We will be in Trujillo, Peru (about a ½ hr from the coast but very much a desert). Please pray for our travels (we will be traveling together as a squad, all 60 of us!) and pray for our hearts as we transition out of this wonderful place and leave many we have come to love, and into the place God has prepared for us in Peru. We will be sleeping in our tents next month and a lot of our comforts will be challenged…please pray for our attitudes and thoughts as we truly leave the westernized culture!
Love you all bunches and I am so so thankful for you!! 🙂 I will probably have very little internet access next month, but I will post when I can! Thank you all SO much for your prayers and support!!
