As a 24 year old girl, it is hard to fully identify who I am. In church, we are told to put our identity in Christ; but that is easier said than done, right?
Often, I identify myself as the independent, the wildcard, my own person. More often than not, I focus on who I want to be – who I am working to be: a child of God, a trailblazer, a compassionate soul.
In a world where we find ourselves bogged down by negativity, media and criticism, it is hard to remember that you are a child of God; that you are loved truly and faithfully.
One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (NIV).
While Jeremiah 29:11 is comforting, it is also incredibly daunting and scary.
Just like my father, I am a control-freak, a planner. I love to know exactly what I am doing and when. Five minutes early means being on-time, so it is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that there is a plan that I know nothing about.
But God gives us the confidence to put our faith in Him. He calls to us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous” (Isaiah 41:10).
Knowing that God will strengthen me; that He will guide me through life. His plan is laid out in front of me – I just need to trust Him.
So He gives us a plan, a path and an identity; but how do we uncover it all? Song of Solomon 4:7 reminds us, “you are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you” (NIV). We must cling to His word to remind us of our identity in Christ.
Each day, I choose my identity in Christ; I choose to work to impact the world around me. For the past 5 years, I have worked towards uncovering my purpose in life. What I have uncovered is that God has put me through these hardships in life to bring me closer to Him; to use me as a vessel to speak of His love and faithfulness.
Throughout the trials I have experienced in my short life, I clung to the truth of God’s love; of His everlasting gift He offers His children. The gift that I will see my mom and my aunt again.
I choose to be strong, a force to be reckoned with, inspirational. I work to be created in His image, compassionate and loving to all. I am a child of God, and “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14 NKJV)
