identity
ʌɪˈdɛntɪti/
noun
the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
Where does our identity come from? Is it something we are born with, part of our DNA and therefore, unchangeable? Or do we create and evolve it over time, like an author coming up with a character in a novel? Anyone who has ever considered the question of who they really are has wrestled with this at some stage.
So, what is it that makes you, you?
Some people base their identity on their culture or skin colour. For others, their religious or political beliefs are a core part of who they feel they are. Your job, your relationships, your financial status or material possessions, your likes, dislikes and personal preferences; all of these things combine to form a picture of who you are as a person. But is that all there is to it? What happens if you strip away all these things? Who are you then?
Back to the drawing board
When you’re not sure where to start, it’s best to start at the beginning and for humankind, the beginning looks like God. Some people argue that we began as a happy mistake. They believe that we’re just a collision of atoms that evolved and mutated to become human, with no thought behind the process. That’s all good and well but it doesn’t give you much to go on in terms of your identity.
The real you
There is, however, an alternative view and that is that the human race was created, intentionally and thoughtfully by God and made in the image of our Creator. This doesn’t mean that we look like God or are the same as Him, but it does mean that who and what we are is in found in who and what He is. While other aspects of our identity may, and most likely will shift over time, the fact that we are children of God, made in His image and loved by our Creator will never change. Whether or not you choose to embrace your true identity is up to you, but the only way you can be who you were fully made to be is by knowing God – and to do that you need Jesus.
When humankind (in the form of Adam and Eve) chose to be something other than God intended for them to be, our relationship with God was broken. We were no longer able to connect with Him as we were made to. The distance between God and His creation was too great for any person to bridge. So in order to restore the world back to His original design, God sent Jesus, His Son, to give us back our true identity and shows us who we really are.
If you would like to know more about who you were made to be and how you can know what you were created for, please click on the link. We would love to chat with you about who you really are.