Identity
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:14-16
In the world that we live in today, it is so easy to get wrapped up in what we see on social media. Whether we know it or not, we compare ourselves to other people daily. We compare our looks, our clothes, our success, our athleticism, our grades, and so much more. Essentially, we compare our entire lives to the lives of others. In some way, shape, or form, we compare ourselves to other people at least once a day.
We want what others have, and we are never satisfied with who we are. Every voice in our head that we listen to as we compare ourselves to others tells us that we aren’t good enough.
Truth bomb: comparison is the thief of joy.
We were made in our loving Father’s image. We were not made perfect, and neither was the girl that you are comparing yourself to on instagram. We are not made perfect because there is only one person who was: Jesus. And what a gift it is to NOT have to be perfect. We are loved unconditionally, no matter what test we bombed, what team we didn’t make, what we look like, and how many friends we have.
While we compare ourselves to others, we end up putting all of our effort into things that we think will make us look great or marketable to others. We believe the lie that tells us that we can never measure up. We put all of our efforts into school, sports, friendships, our looks, or a combination of that list. Everything that we do becomes focused on those things. It becomes an idol, and eventually we lose our identity. We end up feeling hurt and dissatisfied with our lives when we put all of our worth in those things.
When we turn to Jesus, we can be reminded of who we really are. He tells us that we are enough. He tells us we are loved, even on the days where we feel unappreciated the most. He calls us blameless and worthy. He tells us that we are strong even if we are feeling like we have reached our breaking point. He forgives us and looks at us with grace when we fall short. He tells us that we belong to Him, even when we don’t feel like we belong anywhere.
Our identity lies in Christ, not in the things that we think are going to make us happy. We find our worth in Him, and with that, we receive confidence and joy that is indescribable. When we remember our identity is in Christ, we no longer have to view our failures and setbacks with such scrutiny.
As children made in God’s image, we are always loved, always forgiven, always beautiful—no matter what. When we believe the things that he says about us instead of comparing ourselves to others, we can have peace and joy in our lives. The next time you catch yourself putting your worth in something other than in Christ, remember that you will always be enough for Him, because He created you to reflect His image, and you are fearfully and wonderfully made.