Finding Identity In God Not In The Hats We Wear
Where do you seek your identity in?
With all the many hats we wear as mom’s, wives, friends, co-workers, daughters, sisters, farmer, gardener, homesteader, even “house maids”, we tend to think our identity is in these things. The hats we wear.
I use to believe and think to myself, “I’m just a mom, I’m just a sister, I’m just a _____.” But this is not who I am.
My identity isn’t in motherhood. It isn’t in being a wife. It even isn’t in my ministry. If all these things shape me, mold me, and label me, than my identity is planted in just that… the hats I wear… labeling me.
Yes these titles matter to some extent, and they do tend to shape us in ways the Lord uses, but it doesn’t define who I am, nor shall it you sister.
I use to think that was all who I was… just a mom. Just a wife. Just a sister… but it’s far beyond that. I am who God says I am and how he views me.
And the way he views me isn’t the way the world views me, its quite the opposite.
Have you ever asked the Lord, “how do you see me?” There is power in that sentence. There is power in what He shows you how he views you. When we begin to see, to view ourselves the way he views us, those labels of being defined by the titles, the hats we wear, is then stripped off and we begin to walk with full confidence in who we are.
We begin to see our mothering not as a label but as a true gift to walk out.
We begin to see ourselves as a wife who wholeheartedly serves her husband out of love and reverence for the Lord and him.
We begin to see our house chores not as us being a “maid” but rather one who serves joyfully for the Lord.
We begin to see our job not as another job and task to be done but being done in love as if we are serving the Lord.
We begin to view our ministry through the kingdom lens and not out of our identity.
These hats can easily be stripped away from us, how then will we react to them?
Our identity must be deeply rooted in Jesus. Our foundation on Him. It isn’t anything that we do or hats we wear, but it has everything to with who Christ is to us.
We put off our old self, our old labels and put on Christ (Eph. 4:22-24). This means anything fleshly within us. We must know we are no longer in darkness but have been transferred to light (Eph. 5:8). We get ourselves grounded and rooted in the Word of God so it can train, equip, correct, rebuke, and teach us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We even come to the father and ask him, “father, how do you see me? Show me with spiritual eyes, open my eyes, so that I can see myself the way you do.” And he surely will show you.
We can walk this earth knowing we are chosen, holy, beloved, dearly loved, royal priesthood (Col. 3:12), because the Word of God says that is who we are. We are a chosen daughter who He delights in and loves beyond measure. It isn’t based out of our works, because works and hats we put on he doesn’t look at, he chose us because He is a father who loves us and pursues us. He embraces us with His arms wide open to His sons and daughters, welcoming them home. Oh how beautiful of an image to see with his arms wide open and seeing his sons and daughters running to them!
We may wear many hats here in this earthly realm, but we mustn’t let that label or define us sweet sister. These labels must be stripped off and Christ must sit on the throne of our hearts and identity. Because in Christ, that is who we are… that is our sole identity.
Questions to Ponder
- Who am I in christ?
- Do I seek my identity here in this world?
- When one hat is taken off and another put on, how do I truly feel?
- Do I view myself as the Father views me or do I view myself through the earthly lens?
Preach Truth to Yourself
I am who Christ says I am and what the Word of God says I am. I am not who the world or hats I put on say I am. These labels are false labels. I strip off the old labels and place on the identity of being rooted and grounded in Christ.
Be Reminded Daily
Read Ephesians 1. Read Colossians. Ponder on these and treasure the Word of God until your heart, mind and soul starts believe them fully.