Identity

“…Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12)

How are you feeling about yourself today? Fearful? Anxious? Confident? Loved?

Chances are this crisis has turned your world upside down. For those of you who are extroverts, you are learning how to be ok with being alone. For us introverts, it’s easy for us to live in a cave so the challenge is to find ways to reach out. But I’m curious, now without being able to be around larger groups of people, without the pressures to fit in or be somebody, how has this affected your identity and value?

Has this led you toward depression or has it been a relief for you? One of the huge blessings of this time for me has been an escape from society. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone because I hardly see anybody. This “time off” has exposed a lot of the pressure I impose on myself to be someone or to fit in.

I am reminded this quote from Henri Nouwen, “As long as we keep running around, anxiously trying to affirm ourselves and be affirmed by others, we remain blind to the One who has loved us first, dwells in our heart, and has formed our truest self. But we can also open our eyes. We can see a way forward.”

Spend some time praying and ask the Lord to expose where you have gone astray in your search for identity. Confess to him where you have gotten off track. Ask God to remind you of the ways He has loved you and values you then sit and listen to what he might bring to your heart for at least a minute. You can do it. Ask Him to silence all the other voices in you head and only hear from Him. Now receive the Father’s love, see a “way forward” and go into the world with a recovered identity.