#31Days: Identity Schmidentity

My husband gave me the idea for this post.
He wanted to post and pretend to be me tonight.
Not happening.

I asked him what he would write about his identity, and he quickly said, "Identity Schmidentity."
Of course, he was kidding.
But I thought, that's actually a great idea!

I thought about how many of us want to be good Jesus followers.
We want to do all the right things.
We want to learn all the skills.
Scripture memory.
Study the Bible.
Pray for everyone.
Disciple the women.
Yes, all good things.

Deny yourself. {Yes.}
In humility, consider others as better than yourself. {Yes.}
Be all things to all people. {Yes.}

However, sometimes, we think that we can do all the right things and learn all the skills without knowing who we are.
We can't.

I tried, though.
I ran and ran and ran.
I burnt out. Again and again.
I tried to work my way into God's family.

Hear me say this tonight:
I believe in laying a foundation of knowing who you are in Jesus.
I believe in laying a foundation of doing the right things and learning the right skills.

Identity schmidentity is the popular practice that believers do above knowing who they are.
I bought into it so I'm sort of playing catch up now. I am skilled, but just learning who I am (though I've known it in my head, eternal truths are now traveling to my heart).

I've had a hard time believing
...by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Truth: Finding my identity in Jesus means that my identity is Jesus.
He is the One God sees when He looks at me. Who I am is completely wrapped up in Jesus.
I must understand this before I can walk boldly forward in the plans God has for me.

Luckily? There has been (and will continue to be) grace in all my missteps.
And I no longer say, "identity schmidentity."
I now pause often to ask God who I am.
Upon hearing, I am thrust forward into the work He's prepared.