This week I turned 21 (for the third time - do the math)...and it is very common for people to reflect on "who am I?" as they grow older and older. I first asked myself this question when I turned 21. The question of "who am I?" is not only a question of identity but also a question of definition, which means that when we ask this question we want an answer that will in a few words define who we are so that we can use this definition to begin to understand ourselves and to make sense of our lives and our purpose on earth.
For a long time I thought that the answer to this question of identity was to be found in ethnicity, sexuality, talent and many other labels that we are bombarded with. Everything around us says "it's either you are black or white, either you are a good person or a bad person, either you a fat or skinny, tall or short, ambitious or lazy, rich or poor" and many other things that we feel we need to fit to ourselves in order to understand our position in life's "food chain", and so we search for external things to define who we are.
This whole defining-yourself-with-the-external thing made sense to me until I read the following scripture and understood identity from a biblical context:
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For a long time I thought that the answer to this question of identity was to be found in ethnicity, sexuality, talent and many other labels that we are bombarded with. Everything around us says "it's either you are black or white, either you are a good person or a bad person, either you a fat or skinny, tall or short, ambitious or lazy, rich or poor" and many other things that we feel we need to fit to ourselves in order to understand our position in life's "food chain", and so we search for external things to define who we are.
This whole defining-yourself-with-the-external thing made sense to me until I read the following scripture and understood identity from a biblical context:
" I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I that lives but Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" Galatians 2:20
It was at this point that I understood that the answer to "who am I?" can only be truly found in Christ. That when I accepted Christ in my life, I (as I knew myself) died, so that Christ may become alive in me. That everything about me has been left on the Cross where Christ died, and that I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This means that I can never define myself by my race, culture, religion, background, gender,etc - as the bible says that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female (Galations 3:26-28)
One of our biggest problems in South Africa is we want to find our identity in the external, and therefore put unnecessary emphasis on race - both negatively and positively. But the truth is that in Christ we can no longer magnify ourselves, but only who we are in Him - which is the sons and daughters of God and thefore, seeing ourselves through the eyes of a God who loved us ALL equally and gave His Son to die for ALL of us, so that we could ALL be saved when we believed (John 3:16).
So, who am I?
I am who I am in Christ and without a revelation of Jesus Christ, I am nothing. Without a relationship with Him in my life - I am nothing. Everything I am is found in God. I am everything that He says I am.
I am who I am in Christ and without a revelation of Jesus Christ, I am nothing. Without a relationship with Him in my life - I am nothing. Everything I am is found in God. I am everything that He says I am.
So, if you are wondering about who you are, get on your knees and ask God to reveal to you who He says you are, for our identity is only found in Him. Everything else does not define us at all!!!
So, I believe that the journey of self-discovery, begins with a search for God and a desire to know Him - not as everyone else describes Him, but as He Himself, reveals Himself to you as you spend time getting to know Him.
Be blessed.
