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A few years back I was sitting across from a good friend who, with sadness in her eyes, asked me if I believed I had value outside of what I accomplished or did with my life. She she posed that question, “because “for years I defined myself by what I did or how I was perceived. Not by who God created me to be.” I simply and sadly said, “Yes, I wish it wasn’t true but yes, I find my value in accomplishments and what I do.”

From childhood, I had only able to fully identify with my career pursuits or accomplishments. I believed in my heart that if all that was stripped away, what was left was not enough. By myself, just me, was never enough. So I lived in the world that had value, the world I assumed had value. But inside, my heart was breaking and my soul was suffocating.

I had no idea who I really was.

As a result, I spent my childhood and early adult life striving to find fulfillment, struggling to find value and struggling to find my identity. I hopped from career pursuit to career pursuit and lived in anxiety and distress. Peace and joy were not present in those years of my life. I was striving to achieve a value that I didn’t even realize I already had in Christ.

Romans 8:10-11 says, “And Christ lives within you . . . the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.”

When I finally understood what this meant, my life changed forever. 

I realized that every answer I ever needed was found in Christ. 

I realized I was constantly connected to the source of my identity.

I realized I didn’t have to look outside of myself to find who I was. I needed to turn inwardly to look at who Jesus was saying I was. That was my true identity. That is who I really am.

Freedom.

All that Jesus carries and walks in is what we get to walk in and operate in because He chose us for a dwelling place.

John 8:31 says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus has all the keys to all the prisons and if you are his follower, Jesus lives in you, which means the answer to true freedom lives within you!

Finding your true identity.

A few months back, I was struggling with my identity again. I was forgetting who I was and listening to lies of the enemy telling me I would never overcome. I got out a piece of paper and wrote down all the attributes of Jesus. When I read back over the list, it was amazing to see what I already had living in me, I just had to believe it was there!

Colossians 3:3 says, “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we die to ourselves and are hidden in Christ. His identity becomes our identity. When God looks at us, He sees his Son. This concept may have been as complicated as rocket science to me in the past but once I understood what that meant in my spirit and soul, life radically changed.

I no longer have to live in a state of striving. I can trust.
I no longer have to find my own way. He will show me.
I no longer have to give in to anxiety and fear. In Christ, I have a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)
I no longer have to stress. I can live in unshakeable peace.
I no longer have to make my own way. God makes the way for me.
I no longer have to cycle in and out of depression. Jesus brings unrelenting joy.
I no longer have to struggle for the answers. The very answer lives within my spirit.

I am enough!

Last week, I was sitting across from that same friend and she asked me again, “If you were never to accomplish anything but where you are at right now, would you have value, would you be enough?”

I looked at her with the most abounding joy in my eyes and a smile plastered across my face.

“Yes! I am enough. Regardless of what I accomplish in my life or what comes my way. Jesus made me enough. Therefore, I am enough. And I finally believe it to my core.” Praise God, a miracle had happened!!

I found my true identity. And that identity is in Christ. Who God says I am.

If we only knew who we were and the power that lived within us, we would be absolutely unstoppable.

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