Identity

13Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:13-14 (ESV).

A thought hit me as I was thinking about this verse. God’s identity was based solely and purely on Himself. “I AM WHO I AM” could also be translated “I AM WHAT I AM.”

Not so with me. I’m always looking for something outside of myself to base my identity. If someone would ask me who I am, I would answer things like: child of God, husband, father, friend, youth director, etc. My identity is always based in relation to someone else or something else.

Not that this is a bad thing. On the contrary, I think it was God’s design. “26Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” God designed us to find our identity in Him.

My struggle is that I so often base my identity in other things, especially things I’m good at (relative to other people) or try to be good at. In a way, I live my life as if I have to earn my identity. I’m not just a child of God; I want to be a good Christian. I’m not just a husband, father, friend, or youth director; I want to be a good husband, father, friend, and youth director, etc.

The reality is that God chose me before the world began (Ephesians 1:4) and loved me even while I was a sinner (Romans 5:8). There is nothing I can do to gain my identity in Christ; He already did it for me!