Whether or not we like to admit it, everyone is guilty of allowing the complacency of life’s mountaintops to override our will to be changed by life’s valleys. We get so comfortable with our circumstances that we are left feeling abandoned when the Lord throws a challenge our way. If you find yourself confused and questioning God’s ultimate plan every time He gives you battles, you may not be finding your identity in Christ.
As a teen, I constantly face the daily battle of where I base my identity. When my freshman year rolled around, my struggle with identity began to escalate. Suddenly, the pressures and mood swings of adolescence really started to affect me, and instead of trusting that God was the source of my identity, I would look to my grades to make me feel better. Throughout that first year of high school I felt like had to get a perfect grade on every single paper, test, and quiz I handed in, because it made me feel worthy. Since then, though, I have learned that God is only place I can look to find my identity. He is source of who I truly am.
A woman supported by and rooted in Christ, will not fail. Psalm 46:5 says, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.” When the entirety of our life springs from the one and only King, we will find purpose, joy, fulfillment, and true identity. The more firmly planted we are in the soil of God’s truth the harder it is for Satan to uproot our faith.
Another component of finding your identity in Christ, is to treasure Him above all else. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In a day and age where a multitude of distractions exist in an attempt to steal your focus on Christ, we must be armed with a heart that is guarded from evil. God alone can guard our heart and we make it possible for Him to do so when we rely on Him as our source of strength.
Placing our trust in Him and treasuring Him above anything else, we will be able find our identity in Him no matter what struggles we may encounter. What a blessing it is to be able to fully trust in Jesus to sustain our paths every single time we face a challenge, because, without Him, we fail every day.
Find your identity in your Maker, as He will supply you with the courage to take on difficulties. Not only that, but He is the only way you can overcome trials. As the absolute Overcomer, our God is able to give you the provisions to overcome trials or find joy in the midst of them. Although His plan may not always be what we want or expect, if He is the source of our identity, and if we find our true worth in Him, no hardship or temptation will be able to keep us from living our lives for Him.
Sophia Kalinke is a homeschooled junior who is actively involved in church and youth group. She loves dancing, reading, writing, drawing, theatre, hanging out with family and friends, and ministering to God’s world. Writing is one of her favorite creative outlets and she seeks to encourage others through her shared Instagram account: @beautifullybelovedministries.
