Healing our identity
Monday, April 6, 2009 at 10:00AM We're often told to "find your identity in Christ alone" so that we don't take our need for validation to other, false substitutes. I think that's a good idea; but I think most of us don't get the follow-up conversation we need on this issue.
For example, "What the heck does that mean? How am I supposed to 'find my identity only in Christ?' Do I pray more? - Try harder to think how much God loves me when I feel wounded?"
How do you obtain an "in Christ alone" identity?" Here are two things that come to me:
1. It's about being a daughter or a son, first. More than what we can offer the world by means of our giftedness or calling, we first rest in, then offer our identity as sons and daughters of God. This is often particularly difficult for me, as I want you to tell me how much what I do for you means. I want to find validation in how much you respect me as a writer and teacher. But this can never, no matter how much our gifts are genuinely needed, heal our identities. We must find confidence in our identities as sons and daughers, first.
2. It's about hearing our new name. Abram becomes 'Abraham.' Jacob becomes 'Israel.' Saul becomes 'Paul.' The new name expresses your new identity, uniqueness, and what you mean to God in a way that no one else does. It is your particularity. Hearing your new name helps heal the wounds -- those blows that were designed to take you out of play and to prevent you from offering what the world needs from you. As for me, I remember God whispering, "Jim, you are my Aragorn." He may not ever whisper that to you, but he knew what it would mean for me to hear that.
Listen, daughter or son, and rest there.
Then listen for your new name. It is waiting for you.
Reader Comments (7)
How fun, Jim!
The name thing is intriguing. For a very long time, I have felt that God has given me the name "Star". Additionally, I feel Him nudging me towards scriptures dealing with stars, and words like "shining". I have a very charasmatic personality and people often misunderstand it (especially in churches) and find it threatening. As a result, I have tried to stay out of the way and not be noticed, but that doesn't work either. Because either way I seem suspicious to them. I think God wants me to forget what others think and have mislabelled me and just be myself. I think that's why He gave that to me.
Meredith :0)
Jim, I have nothing to add ......... apart from keep writing the truth.
A new name! Thanks for posting this thought as I have often dwelt on it recently.
sheila
Hey Shiela, thanks. Our new name is one of the central means God uses to restore our identity to us. It's so encouraging.
Wow! Look at Revelation 2:17: " To the one who overcomes,....I will give a white stone with a new name written on it known only to the one who receives it." I have always loved this scripture, but I thought I had to wait until I saw Jesus in Heaven to know what that name is. I also thought I had to "try harder to overcome" in order to receive this gift!
Mary Jane -- that's such a great passage about the white stone. Are you familiar with Gary Barkalow's teaching on calling? Gary used to be with Ransomed Heart ministries. He actually talks about that passage in his CD series, "The Glory of Your Life." http://www.thenobleheart.com/
Thanks, Jim. I listened to that particular part of the message this morning and tears and healing poured forth. I'm going to listen to the rest later today. I've had a quote by Frederick Buechner written in my Bible for years: "The place God calls us to is the place where our own deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." What is washing over me now is a knowing that my desires are God's desires planted in me and he will enable me to walk in their fulfillment. Phillippians 2:13 I'm going to let that soak in today!