One of the biggest questions in my life recently has been a version of “who am I?”. But its more like, “who did God create me to be?”

We always talk about comparison–about not comparing yourself to that other person because you’re made unique. And that is so true! But another aspect of comparison that I think we shrug off is that we are always out to impress. We shrug it off because honestly, it’s kind of embarrassing to admit that you’re always trying to impress others. I get that, because I am so soooo guilty, and I’ll be the first to admit it.

I believe everyone struggles with comparison in some way…we all, in some way, feel inadequate…unsatisfied or insecure with some part of us. Instead of working through these insecurities and letting God fill those holes, we try to compensate for our lack by trying to be impressive. We push and we prove that we are in no way insecure–that we are totally confident. We carefully position our lives to be picture-perfect. We post a picture with a caption about being carefree and genuine, but we took 200 tries to get that perfect picture. We spend hours trying to find the perfect outfit because what we really want to wear isn’t good enough. We constantly “one-up” each other because we can’t stand not being as good as the next person.

We are too afraid of not measuring up that we give up being real.

I was living like this for a long time–on social media, with my friends, at work. At some point, I started to realize that I was putting off the things that I liked and the things that truly gave me joy because they didn’t seem as good as that other girl. And I realized that I would take way too long to choose an outfit because nothing I had was something that some of my friends would wear. And I started to notice that with everything I did, I always made sure it was good enough to post online so that everyone could see how “put-together” I was. Then I started to notice that I was exhausted. I noticed that my life looked perfect, but on the inside, I still felt less-than. Even though I seemed happy and carefree, I did not have true joy. And I realized that this was not me–this was not who God created me to be. And it breaks His heart.

Do you relate? If so, please listen: God never created you for this.

You’ve probably heard this a million times, but God has a specific purpose for YOU. That means that when He knitted you together, He gave you gifts, talents, and qualities that He didn’t give to anyone else in the exact same way. And your purpose involves those gifts, talents, and qualities that God has equipped you with. But you cannot do what God has called YOU to do if you are not first walking in who God created you to be. Simply put, you can’t walk in YOUR purpose if you’re not you.

So now the question is “okay… well who did God create me to be?”

Awesome news: God literally gives us a handbook that tells us exactly who we are so we never have to wonder. Here is what God says about you:

  • You are made in HIS image.
    • “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
  • You are custom-made by the hand of God.
    • “For you formed by inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” – Psalm 139:13-14
  • You are seen and known by the God who made us.
    • “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” – Psalm 139:1-4
  • You are called a child of God.
    • “See what kind of love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” – 1 John 3:1
  • You were chosen from the beginning of time.
    • “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” – Ephesians 1:4
  • You are worth everything to God.
    • “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

When we know who we are in God, something beautiful happens–it gives us the freedom to be REAL, and it gives grace for our mess-ups. When we walk in our Kingdom identity, we impact the Kingdom!

Saying “yes” to your identity in Christ frees you up to use YOUR gifts and YOUR talents. Saying “yes” opens doors where you never thought they would open and allows His purpose for you to pour out–and if it’s His purpose for you, you’ll never have to impress, you’ll just impact.

 

With love,

Sarah