Originally Published: January 23rd, 2019

In middle school, I struggled with the concept of identity. I didn’t like who I was. I didn’t like my personality or my looks and never felt like I had anything to offer the world. Believe it or not, I used to be this shy little wallflower that hardly ever came out of her shell. I’ve never been one to have more than a few friends at a time and figured it was because I was boring.

I knew several other girls who didn’t seem to struggle the way I did. Oh, how I wished I could be like them! They were the social butterflies, the girls who seemed to be friends with just about everybody. They were outgoing, funny, smart, and talented. And there I was, in the middle of my “awkward phase” (which felt like it would never end), struggling to even have a normal conversation with potential friends. I didn’t feel like anybody really even wanted to get to know me. Too much work I guess.

Then one day I decided…

I don’t want to be myself anymore.

So I stopped.

Instead of being my normal, reserved, boring self, I tried to change my personality by becoming as outgoing, goofy, and talkative as possible. But instead of having a flock of people just begging to be my friends (lol like that would ever happen!), I ended up pushing people even further away…

Instead of becoming the social butterfly I had always wanted to be, I became that super annoying, obnoxious kid who wouldn’t shut up. I never really knew what to talk about so I just talked about nothing, constantly interrupting the people around me and bragging about my accomplishments in hopes that someone would take notice and want to be my friend.

Sad, right?

I was blinded by my own insecurity. I had bought the lie that in order to make friends I had to be someone I’m not. I chose to believe that I wasn’t funny enough, outgoing enough, smart enough, talented enough, pretty enough, or interesting enough to have people in my life who truly liked me for me. I lost sight of my worth, I lost sight of my purpose, and I lost sight of the fact that my identity isn’t found in how many friends I have, the clothes I wear, or the talents God has given me.

And all the while my twelve year old self was freaking out about whether or not people liked me, obsessing about my friends, and striving to live up to a myriad of expectations and opinions, God was in relentless pursuit of my heart.

You see, I don’t have to worry about whether or not people like me, because I have a heavenly Father who loves me more than life itself.

I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not, because God created me to be who I am for a reason. (He doesn’t think I’m boring either! Haha ;p ) He has a purpose and a plan for my life that is far better than anything that I could ever dream up on my own!

I don’t have to constantly strive to live up to the expectations and opinions of those around me, because God’s opinion is the only one that really matters.

And, most importantly, I don’t have to wander through life trying to “find myself,” because my identity is found in Christ. 

Because He created me, my worth is defined. The God who breathed stars into existence not only knows me by name, but calls me His own.

But this isn’t just true of me. It’s true of you too. You are fully known and deeply loved by the Creator of the universe! Before the world came to be, he knew you. You are a beloved child of the King. He defines your worth and the Bible is incredibly clear just how priceless you are in His eyes.

Ephesians 1:3-14

Your Identity In Christ:

You are BLESSED

You are CHOSEN

You are HOLY

You are BLAMELESS

You are LOVED

You are PREDESTINED

You are ADOPTED

You are A CHILD OF THE KING

You are REDEEMED

You are FORGIVEN

You are INCLUDED

You are SEALED

You are HIS PRIZED POSSESSION

And don’t forget it 😉