Know who you are and find your identity

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

We hear a lot today about identity theft. Back in the pandemic, I was a victim of identity theft. It can be difficult trying to untangle that mess, but I successfully recovered.

Some decades ago, I was at a victim of a different kind of identity theft. Identity theft of the soul. I came down with an illness that eventually left me house bound for 8 years. At first, it was very confusing; I didn’t understand my life any more. I was a successful nurse manager managing physician’s practices. Plus, I had a side gig as a childbirth educator.

But my illness caused me to give that all up. Besides that, my oldest sister, whom I loved and adored, passed away at a young age from cancer. A week to the day later, my father died. And I was a recent empty nester. I felt like I was no longer the person that I had once been. I had to find my identity.

Eventually, I realized that my job was not my identity. And although my family was gone, I still remained part of them and they remained part of me. But they were not my identity.

I spent countless hours studying my Bible, and in the midst of my grief, I found my true identity. I realized it was not what we do that identifies us.

It’s funny how the first thing we ask a person when we meet them is, “What do you do?” But God is more interested in who we are.

It’s interesting the things that we think make up our identity. Empty-nesters feel lost when their children finally leave the house. While parents may not know what to do at first, they need to understand this is just a new season of their lives. Others get wrapped up in their spouse or their money or their possessions. The scenarios go on and on.

I often wonder, especially as I write this, how many are facing this same dilemma. I’d like to encourage you that there is hope.

God wants to heal our broken hearts and our broken identity. Our true identity is shaped by our belief in Jesus Christ and his teachings in the Bible, not worldly labels. It is characterized by what we believe and is strengthened as our relationship with God grows. Then what we do emanates through that.

Here are a few examples: We are forgiven and free from sin and guilt. We don’t have to live in guilt and shame from our past mistakes. “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2 NIV).

We are chosen. Just as Christ chose the disciples, he chose each of us. “But I have chosen you out of the world.” (John 15:19 NIV).

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). He created our personality, temperament and has a plan for our lives.

Our lives are such a treasure to God, that he entrusts us to spread our lessons and God story to others so they can know his love and forgiveness.

“Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:14 NIV).

Like untangling worldly identity theft, we can untangle our wearied souls as we grow in our new identity.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.