Have you ever heard someone say or even said yourself, “I don’t know who I am?” I know there was a time in my life when I said that. I assume there are many people that during this time of change due to the pandemic there are many people that have lost sight of who they are. Their jobs have changed, or they don’t have a job. They used to be out with people all the time and now they are home looking at the same four walls and computer screen. Zoom meetings and conference calls just are not the same. Granted many people are seeing their lives return to a new normal that involves more social contact, but it is still not what it was.
Too often we begin to look ourselves through the roles that we hold rather than the identity that we have been given. When we no longer function in the same capacity at our jobs and that role has changed, have you lost your identity? When the kids grow up and do not need you like they used to, have you lost who you perceived that you were? Did you gain your identity from your role?
Our roles change throughout life. Children grow up and become parents. Students grow up and become teachers. Employees become the employer. As we advance each day of our life, our roles are changing. However, these roles are not our identity.
Too often, these roles do become our identity, and when these roles are taken away from us or they change we begin to experience emotional upset. We experience a mid-life crises, depression, anxiety, fear, anger, etc. The parent whose children have grown up and are now on their own look at life as if it has no purpose. The employee that has worked for the same company for 30 years all of a sudden is let go due to budget cuts no longer knows who he is or what his purpose is.
These are all difficult situations that so many have found themselves in due to this pandemic. Lost jobs, change in jobs, change in work location, change in parenting, etc. I do not at all want to discredit the challenges of each of these changes, but we must not look at these changes as a change in our identity. Our identity should never change.
Let me say that again. Our identity should never change no matter how much our roles change. So where do we get our identity? As a believer in Christ, I get my identity from what God’s Word says about me. These things that God says about me applies because I have put my faith and trust in Christ as my Savior. If someone does not believe in Christ as their Savior, these things that Paul has written about us in Ephesians would not apply.
Ephesians 1:4 “even as He chose us in Him…” You are chosen by God the Father. When you feel forsaken by man, never forget that God has chosen you.
Ephesians 1: 5 ”He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ” You are a son/daughter of God. If you feel forsaken by your family, remember that God has chosen you to be His child.
Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” You are redeemed and forgiven. We deserve hell and God has redeemed us and forgiven us. He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins. A price that we could not pay.
So you are not the roles that you have. You are the identity that Christ has given to you. You are chosen, a child of the King, redeemed, and forgiven! Those things will never change. Hold onto and remember the identity that will never change rather than the role that can change on a dime.
