Where Do You Find Your Identity?

(My friend Kayla and I dressed as ballerinas. I was around four years old.)

I absolutely loved dressing up when I was little. It was so fun to pretend to be something else whether I was a princess or a ballerina. As I was getting ready for class one morning the thought hit me, "aren’t we all still playing dress up?". I was thinking about this because I was getting frustrated about what I was going to wear to school. This was ridiculous for me to worry about because it is finals week at my college and everybody knows that there is like an unwritten rule that you are allowed to dress however you want during finals week. However, I was subconsciously trying to impress the people in my classes. I believe that each of us portrays some kind of image that we want people to see.

Where do you find your identity?

This question has weighed heavy on my heart lately. Like most people, in middle school and high school I had a really tough time of being confident in who I was. I remember dying my hair a certain color and changing my outfits to be like the popular people at my school. Thankfully, over the last several years God has placed people in my path to encourage me that who I am is good enough.

This topic means a lot to me at this point in my life. As a middle school leader and a future middle school teacher, how can I encourage middle schoolers to be confident when I am always looking to other people/things for my identity? Also, someday I want to get married. How am I supposed to lead my spouse towards God if I’m always wrapped up in how they view me?

If you are reading this, maybe you are confident in who you are or maybe you are not. Either way I want to encourage you with how God sees you:

You are a child of God: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12 NIV version).

You are chosen: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11 NIV version).

You are enough: “and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2:10).

You are loved: “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15: 9 NIV version).

You are pursued: “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David” (Isaiah 55:3 NIV version).

You have purpose: “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV version).

Wherever you are at in your journey in life, I hope you remember how amazing you are. Nobody is perfect, but who you are is the best you that you can be. There is nobody else like you.