identity
Christian Journey

HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR IDENTITY AS A CHRISTIAN MILLENNIAL.

November 8, 2024 /

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Do you want to discover your identity? Have you ever wanted to know who you really are? I am currently reading the book of John, and one constant thing is how Jesus was confident in His identity. One can even mistake Him as one who was full of Himself. But since we know Jesus knew no sin, we can definitely rule that out. The conclusion then is that you and I should aspire and work towards getting that kind of confidence He had. Jesus did not need other people to validate Him. He had already discovered His identity. Have you been struggling with people pleasing and needing validation from people? This could be because you have yet to discover your identity.

Table of Contents

You don’t need to go on living this way. It is time for you to discover your identity. Jesus came to earth to give us salvation and to model to us what right living really meant. The Jews were very religious, and they let the rules place them in bondages that God never intended for them to be in, to begin with.

Jesus’ confidence came in knowing what God had told Him. Just before He began His ministry, God told Jesus that He was His beloved Son, and He was well pleased with Him. Jesus held on to that word and believe that it was true and nothing could take that away, not even tribulation.

Let us define what identity is.

Psychology today defines identity this way: identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one’s sense of self. This amalgamation creates a steady sense of who one is over time, even as new facets are developed and incorporated into one’s identity. Can you describe yourself? Are you self-aware? To help us dissect this further, let us look at the characteristics of someone who knows their identity and contrast them with that of someone who has discovered their identity.

Signs that you have yet to discover your identity.

  • People who know their identities intimidate you and are confident in their own skin. Do you cringe when you are around a confident person? How do you react when someone tells you their big dreams? Do you cringe? When you are confident in your identity, you will celebrate others who are unapologetically themselves. And I am not talking about those who are obnoxious. I am talking about those who are not afraid to live authentically, but also give others room to live authentically. There is room for all of us to thrive. And when we realize that we all have a seat at the table, those who have discovered their purpose will not intimidate us. Rather, they will encourage us. Jealousy and envy all stem from not knowing who you are. I encourage you today to discover your identity. That will be one of your greatest accomplishments when you do. Also, you will live a happier and more content life.
  • You can’t decide. When you allow others to lead your life, you will never walk in the fullness of who God created you to be. How will you discover your identity when all you do is follow what other people are saying and doing? Having a mind of your own is the key that will help you discover your identity. Are you comfortable making uncomfortable decisions on your own? Do you have to seek other people’s approval? Are you afraid to walk in your authenticity? Child of God, there are moments when God will ask you to step out of the boat and step into your purpose. And when you have yet to discover your identity, you will struggle to say yes to God. The Bible tells us that seeking approval from man is dangerous, as those who rely on humanity are cursed.
  • You struggle to forgive yourself for your past mistakes. When you discover your identity, it becomes easier to extend grace to yourself. This is because you recognize you are a work in progress. If you struggle to forgive yourself for your past mistakes, maybe you don’t know who you are. The Bible tells us we all have fallen short of the glory of God. No one is perfect except Jesus. And the only One who can perfect us is Jesus. That is why God gave us the gift of Grace. He knew we would mess up from time to time. And you are no exception. Stop torturing yourself and start forgiving yourself. Make room for yourself to make mistakes. And recognize that it is okay too. Self-awareness will help you in this area. And more importantly, the Holy Spirit will help you learn to forgive yourself.
  • You don’t trust yourself. Until you discover your identity, you will not trust yourself. After all, trust is built when you know someone. And the same applies to you. When you know who you are, you learn to trust your judgment and be confident in your decisions. When you discover your purpose, you become comfortable with your opinions and you will not have differing opinions. You will also not allow your environment or relationships to define you. Let me ask you this, do you like something because people around you like it? Are you afraid of being authentic around people? Do you enjoy being a part of the status quo? Are you afraid of going against the grain? These questions will help you know if you have discovered your identity. When you get to where you are not afraid to say no and be yourself, that is when you will have discovered your identity.

Read also: How to conquer the fear of taking risks as a Christian Millennial

Lessons to draw from the life of Jesus that will help you discover your identity.

  1. Intimacy with God is paramount
  2. Take God by His word

Intimacy with God

Jesus always said that He did only what He saw His Father do. This obviously stemmed from His relationship with God. He would even go to be alone with God.

Intimacy comes from spending quality time with someone. This leads to knowing the person to where, if they called you from an unfamiliar number, the minute you hear their voice you would recognize them. The same applies to your relationship with God. If you want to know God’s voice, set aside quality time, i.e. be very intentional with your time with God. This will help you discern His voice and thus be able to identify when another voice tries to get your attention.

Intimacy with God will also help you know what He says about you, who you are, and His purpose for you. Reading God’s word is one way of spending time with God. Worshipping and prayer are other ways. You can also decide to be still and wait for God to speak. When you frequently do that, your mind will be renewed and transformed to where the heart of the Father will be your focus.

The more you spend time with God the more you will discover your identity. After all, He is the One who created you so He knows who you ought to be. The Holy Spirit wants to reveal and help you uncover your identity. But you have to be willing to hear and obey Him. He is always speaking. The question is, are you listening? Reading the word of God is one way you can cultivate intimacy with God. There is no way you can know about God when you do not read His word. How will you commune with someone you don’t know?

Taking God by His Word

When God told Jesus that He was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, He believed in God. With the Pharisees, His brothers, and some of His disciples doubting Jesus’s Sonship, it would have been easy to doubt. Jesus was not moved, and not once did He think of Himself any differently. He in fact kept reminding them of who He was. As believers, we should model that attitude. We should keep faith even when things around us are contrary.

We know God is not a man, that He should lie. You could be dealing with an awful situation, maybe you are facing financial issues, health issues, loneliness, etc. This should not deter you because God’s promises are yea and amen. If you want to know God’s promises concerning you, read the Bible. Let me give you a glimpse of some.

Do you believe what God says about you? He is not a man that He should lie. Believe Him when He reveals your identity to you.

Some of God’s promises over your life

Scriptures that will help reveal your true identity.

Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

John 15:16 You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, they will give it to you!

Galatians 4:7 Now we’re no longer living like slaves under the law, but we enjoy being God’s very own sons and daughters! And because we’re His, we can access everything our Father has—for we are heirs of God through Jesus, the Messiah!

Ephesians 1:5  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

1 Peter 2:9  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light

Conclusion

If you are struggling to believe God’s promises and take them as yours, it’s okay, God understands. But what you need to do is to repent and ask the Holy Spirit to expose the root of the unbelief then once He has done so repent then replace the lie with the truth. Use the Bible as your reference to reveal the Truth.

One way to replace the lie is by speaking the word of God over your life. Let’s say that you have an identity issue, there is a scripture that tells you-you are a child of God. http://bible.us/1/jhn1.12.amp. Once you have found the scripture, you can personalize it by saying; I Mercy, am a child of God and so I do not need to worry about my identity since it is rooted in Christ, the Son of God. When you personalize scripture, you easily internalize that, and this helps you to replace the lie. What lies have you been believing? Find a scripture that tells you the truth, speak it over your life, personalize it. This will lead to brain rewiring.

You don’t have to stay stuck not knowing who you are. God wants you to discover your identity. He knows you will be the most effective when you know who you are. In a world where people are confused about their identity, I want to encourage you to step out of the status quo and become who God created you to be. Don’t be afraid to go through the process. It will be messy in the beginning but when you hold on, you will get to the other side.

The enemy wants you to be someone you are not because he is afraid of the real you. Confidently, discover your identity. That is how you will discover your purpose. Your purpose is rooted in your identity. And your identity is rooted in Christ. If you have not made Jesus the Lord over your life, I invite you to do so today. Invite Jesus into your life and ask Him to be the Lord and Savior of your life. He is knocking on the door of your heart. And He is waiting with arms wide open to welcome you into His kingdom. Don’t delay. Heaven is rooting for you, and so am I.

Mercy is the author and founder of radiantly resurging. She is a Christian and having gone through the wilderness season, she decided to impart the knowledge learned to help others navigate their wilderness season too

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