A Practical Guide for Transformative Growth Part 3Sample

Identity

Forever, we will carry around in our bodies and behavioral characteristics what we inherited from our parents. It is the first and deepest part of identity formation. In a sense, we will always be known as so-and-so’s daughter or son. I call this our family identity. When we are born again, we are adopted from our natural family into a new spiritual family, and we have to discover what we have inherited from our new heavenly Father. What does it mean to carry God’s name? What is in our spiritual DNA?

WE ARE LOVED. This is the core of our new family identity. In any place that you have received an unloving message about who you are, God wants to replace with complete belovedness. God loves every single part of you. This is not because of anything you have done (or not done). There is nothing you have done to deserve it, and therefore nothing you can do to stop it. This is in direct contradiction to the lies that we are fed daily by the world that tells us that we need to perform and pretend (fit in) in order to be loved. God’s plan has always been to give it to us freely. All we have to do is receive.

In the natural, as we grow up, we begin to discover that we are different. We have different strengths, personalities, and preferences compared to our parents and, indeed, everyone else in our world. I call this our functional identity. As we grow up in God, we similarly must discover what unique role we play in His family and His plan. What unique facet of God do we carry? What unique mix of personality, gifts, passions, and abilities has He given me to glorify His name?

The truth we need to receive here is WE ARE SIGNIFICANT. God has a great purpose for every one of us! He created us with purpose in mind! He designed it into us before we were even born! We are significant!

Finally, we may begin to wonder about our place in the wider community. Who are my people? Who is my tribe? We tend to go through this as teenagers. We long to find the group where we belong. As adults, we may be concerned about which local church to attend. The core questions are, “Where do I belong? Who are the people God has called me to do life with? And what are we like?”

We need to know here that WE ARE NOT ALONE. We are never alone! God is ALWAYS with us!