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Friday, October 5, 2012

Identity: What Defines You?

Today, I would like to share with you a message that God has been reiterating in my life for several weeks! Finally, I have embraced the message and want to share it with you. I say the Lord has been sharing this with me for weeks but in reality it may have been months or even years. However, my husband’s words seemed to come out of the clear blue sky and smack me in the face, “You find your self-worth in busy-ness.” I was stunned for a moment and although, my initial thought was, “No I don’t!” I couldn’t bring myself to deny his accusation out loud, so instead, I pondered his statement. Could this be true? In the following weeks, it seemed like every sermon and devotional I read was pertaining to this topic in some way or another. Clearly, the Lord was speaking straight to me. Josh, my husband, was correct. I do find fulfillment in completing my checklist and getting as much productivity out of a day as humanly possible. This is not necessarily the problem. The problem is when the desire to complete a task turns into a need to complete that when unmet creates frustration and stress. That need, when unmet, leaves me feeling defeated and sad.

So, what is the lesson that God is teaching me? MY WORTH AND VALUE ARE FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE! My worth is not based on how many tasks get accomplished in a day or how many daily goals I meet. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” The word new in the second portion of the verse is from the Greek word Kainos, meaning something just made which is unlike anything else in existence. Therefore, I am unlike anything else in existence! I am unique and precious to God and so are you because when we accepted Christ as our Savior, we became NEW creations. Why would I measure my value based on what I get accomplished in a day, when God says, prior to any of my checklists, I am precious! Goals and productivity are certainly good things, but it is critical to remember that there is nothing on this earth that can determine your value. Your value has already been established and does not require a specific job, social circle, or accomplishing any tasks. 

I challenge you to ask yourself the question, How do I define my value?? Pray over the answer and then take action to change any unbiblical thinking in this area of your life.

Prayer: Lord, I pray that my daily focus would be to glorify you in everything I do. I pray that you would reveal to me the things in my heart that are not pleasing to you. Please help me to always remember that my true identity is in you alone. Amen