No Turning BackSample

We all have a past. In some ways, that’s not an earth-shattering statement; in other ways it’s incredibly profound. Think about it: we’ve all come from somewhere. Everyone’s history is deeply threaded with brokenness and beauty. We all decide what to do with our memories, our triumphs, our mistakes. We all answer the universal question, Who am I?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve struggled to know who you really are. Growing up, I only wanted to identify with my strengths. Like many of you, I did everything I could to hide my weaknesses. Who wants to be identified with failure and pain? Not me. The toxic culture of self-love will never satisfy. It can’t. Why? Because creation can’t fulfill or satisfy itself. Basing your identity on what you’ve done, who others say you are, or who you hope to be in the future only leads to crushing sorrow. It’s just never enough.

Once I surrendered my life to Christ, I started a new quest. Now I’m no longer looking primarily for happiness, though I definitely enjoy being happy on earth and look forward to perfect happiness someday in heaven. I’m on a quest even more important than self-love, self-fulfillment, or self- improvement. It’s a quest not simply to answer Who am I? but to live Who I am.

Who I am was decided long ago: I am blessed by God in Christ with every spiritual blessing; chosen by Him before the foundation of the world; holy and blameless; predestined in love to be an adopted son and heir with Jesus; lavished with mercy, grace, and forgiveness; and part of God’s eternal purpose to redeem and unite all things in Him, things in heaven and on earth. I didn’t pull these words from nowhere. This is the glorious identity Ephesians 1:2–10 promises you and I can embrace.

No matter where you’ve come from, you’re invited to glory in Jesus, with Jesus, like Jesus, forever. Our pursuit of happiness was never the answer to our identity problems; finding Jesus the Healer is. The Healer of our hurts creates beauty from our brokenness and makes us blessed and blameless. That’s who we are in Him, forever.

We have been called to identify with so much more and so much better than what we can grasp for ourselves.

It’s time. Don’t hope you’ll find out “who you are” someday. Decide you’ll live out the truth of your identity in Christ today.