Has anyone else ever asked that question? It’s fairly easy to list who we are “on paper.” For example, when meeting someone new, most of us introduce ourselves based on a career or role – teacher, spouse, mom, realtor, student, brother. Or maybe we draw from our passions – movie-buff, jogger, musician, golfer. We also often define ourselves through our ethnicity, religion or family traditions.
There’s no question that we gain a sense of security from these identities. In fact, we probably highlight the qualities we believe are most prestigious. After all, they give us a lot of confidence – especially when we have worked hard to establish them – and even more when we excel at them! Our jobs, abilities and roles make us feel valuable – they give us something to offer to the world.
What happens, though, when our career takes a new path, when our passions don’t fit into our life the way we envision, or when our roles change and those old traditions fall by the wayside? When pieces of our life fall apart, it’s so easy to feel lost, confused and ungrounded. We start to wonder if we are still valuable – if we matter, and we start scrambling to “find ourselves.”
We tread into a world that asks us, “What do you have to show for your work?” “What can you offer me?” “What makes you better than the next guy?” “You tell me why I should want you.” The world’s voice is loud, it can be harsh, and it’s seemingly everywhere. If we don’t “measure up” according to its standards, we are cast aside, and we feel like failures.
God has a lot to say about who we are too. . .but we have to seek Him out to hear it. He speaks in that still quiet voice that is full of peace and truth. His words give us security, confidence, and yes, identity. He tells us repeatedly how valuable we are in His eyes:
He lovingly created us: Psalm 139:13-16 NIV
We are His beloved children: Galatians 3:26 NIV and Galatians 4:7 NIV
We are His friends: John 15:15 NIV
God chose us and we belong to Him: 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
We are accepted: Romans 15:7 NIV
He has a plan for us: Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
We should never forget that “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV In God’s kingdom it isn’t about being “better than the next guy.” He loves us unconditionally, and He is not assessing our ability to perform. Why not let God define your worth, rather than the world?
So, if you are trying to answer the question, “Who am I?,” meditate on these verses. Look up even more verses about God’s love – there are plenty. Listen for God’s voice and, as Jason Gray requests in this song, ask God to remind you who you are.