Root Your Identity in Christ

READ

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, being rooted and built up in Him... For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness." Colossians 2:6-10 NIV

THINK

For a long time, I wasn't sure who I was. Without even realizing it, I became a different version of myself depending on who I was around. But the problem with that is I was ultimately attempting to build my identity on the opinions of people, and allowing their approval or lack of tell me my worth. I found myself trapped in an exhausting cycle of comparison and I was constantly measuring myself against everyone else and wondering why I couldn't simply be... me.

Then I met Jesus… Not just the Jesus who forgives my sin, but the Jesus who tells me who I am. What Jesus began to teach me was that my identity was never meant to be discovered in the opinions of other people. It was always meant to be rooted in Him. Paul writes in Colossians, "Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, being rooted and built up in Him." I love that picture because roots aren't seen by anyone else… But they are what keep a tree standing. They are how a tree receives nourishment; everything they need to sustain life.

The deeper my roots grew in Christ, the less I needed validation from everyone around me. Instead of asking, "Do they accept me?" I began asking, "What has God already said about me?" and His Word reminded me that I am chosen, loved, forgiven, and made new. That I don't have to compete for value because my worth was settled at the cross. That God wasn't wishing I were more like someone else but rather, He intentionally created me with a unique personality, gifts, and purpose.

Paul goes on to say, "In Christ you have been brought to fullness." That verse has become an anchor for me. In Christ, I have everything I need…

You see, we don't need to be shaken by the opinions of people. Instead we can begin to walk with confidence, not because we think highly of ourselves, but because we know whose we are. The world tells us to compare, compete, and perform but Jesus invites us to abide. The world says we need more to be enough but Jesus says He already is.

ACT

Where have you been looking for your identity or approval? Today, spend a few moments thanking God for the unique way He created you. Ask Him to reveal any areas where comparison or the opinions of others have become your foundation. Then choose one truth from Scripture about who you are in Christ and meditate on it throughout the day.