October 14th, 2023

Identifying Your Identity

At some point in life, everyone experiences the thought: Something seems to be missing. Interestingly, it often arises in those who appear to have it all. Wealth, a beautiful family, a successful career. They ask themselves, What more could I possibly want? Yet, despite everything, they still feel an unshakable emptiness.

I recently read King’s Cross by Timothy Keller, and one passage stood out to me. On page 134, Keller writes, “Love fulfills the law. The law is not being fulfilled unless it is obeyed as a way of giving and showing love to God or others.” This made me realize that when we accept God’s love into our lives, it transforms us. We no longer act out of obligation but out of genuine desire. Once we understand what Jesus did for us on the cross, we naturally begin to love and serve others. And that is the fulfilling work many of us unknowingly seek. The missing ingredient that leaves us feeling incomplete. I say “us” because I’m in this too. I recently discovered the missing pieces in my own life, and I’ve found that the love of Jesus Christ is the healing force I needed and will always need.

A powerful way to reflect on this is to imagine life without money. Who are you without your job, your possessions, or your financial status? Are you truly content within yourself?

In the Bible, a rich young man approaches Jesus in Mark 12:28 and asks, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus responds in Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

Jesus then asks the young man to give up his wealth and donate everything he has. The man grieves because he realizes that money is the center of his identity. Without it, he feels like he would be nothing. And this is precisely why we need God in our lives. If our identity is tied solely to material success, we will never be fully satisfied. No amount of wealth can provide lasting fulfillment.

Keller explains it this way: “You have to change how you relate to your gifts and your successes.” In other words, it’s not about rejecting wealth or ambition, it’s about changing the way we define ourselves. When we make God the foundation of our identity, we experience true peace and fulfillment.

For most of my life, I chased money. I believed I could never have enough, so I worked tirelessly. Sometimes holding down three jobs at once, clocking in 60 to 70 hours a week. I loved money, and I still do, but the difference now is how I use it and how I view it. What truly matters is not just financial success, but the time, energy, and purpose behind it. Looking back, I wonder how much more joy and peace I would have had if I had pursued God as relentlessly as I pursued money.

There is an undeniable comfort that comes from having God as your identity. It’s something I’m still discovering each day. I’ve learned that material things mean nothing in the grand scheme of life. They pile up, only to leave us feeling empty once again. For me, the real fulfillment comes from giving and serving. Acts that provide purpose and meaning far beyond what wealth or possessions can offer. It wasn’t long ago where I had a completely different outlook on money either. Thank you God for working in me..

Finding our identity in Christ is not an overnight process. It requires faith, action, and belief. Keller sums it up perfectly:

“…but if you want God to be your Savior, you have to replace what you’re already looking to as a savior. If you want intimacy with God, if you want to get over this sense that something is missing, it will have to become God that you love with all your heart and strength.”

When we shift our focus from materialistic pursuits to a life centered on God, we finally find our true identity. God alone fulfills our deepest desires. Not for a fleeting moment, but for eternity. Unlike the temporary highs and lows of worldly success, God offers us something lasting: peace, purpose, and a love that never fades.

What I have learned is finding my identity in God rather than in temporary achievements is the greatest return on investment I could ever make.