Identity in Christ
Do you struggle with your identity? Do you think very little of yourself? Does it seem impossible to see yourself through God’s eyes? Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase identity in Christ, but wondered what it means and how it applies to you.
We often place our identity in what we think of ourselves or how others view us. We place our identity in things like our appearance, our work or our relationships. But what happens when opinions of us change? What happens when something about us or our circumstances in life change? Our identity is shaken. So why not place our identity in the One who never changes? Then we’ll have a solid foundation.
How can you see your identity in Christ? Why not start by looking at the following verses that outline what God has in mind for us once we enter into a personal relationship with Him? If you’re unsure about whether you’ve entered a personal relationship with God or want to learn more about how to come to Him, see “My Life with the Lord” on the Your Spirit page.
1. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to make eternal life in heaven possible for you. Once you’ve accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, you gain a close connection with Him as well as access to His power in your life.
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
“And you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” Col. 2:10
2. As God’s creation, understand that He knows you better than anyone and He is interested in everything about you and in every detail of your life.
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7
“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Isa. 49:16
3. As your Creator and as someone who knows you intimately, God has a purpose for your life. You may sometimes question this and it may not always feel true, but it remains true even when your purpose isn’t clear to you.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:10
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 1:6
In Christ you have unfathomable value. In Christ you have intimacy with your Creator. In Christ you have unconditional love poured over you. In Christ you can hold your head high because you are a child of the King. In Christ you have the power to overcome your eating disorder.
I encourage you to cling to the verses listed above. Let them aid you in seeing your identity in Christ. Also, if you haven’t already done this, I urge you to read Ps. 139 and insert your name anywhere the words I, me or my appear. As you do, may your value, your identity in Christ, be apparent to you.
Now that we’ve reviewed the foundation for seeing your identity in Christ, let’s look at a couple of examples that apply these principles to your thoughts.
1. “If I’m not at a certain weight, I’m not acceptable.”
Do you think God will love you more at a certain weight? Do you think your outward appearance is as important to Him as it is to you? Furthermore, isn’t it His opinion of you that should matter most?
Let’s look at a verse about God’s love for you. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:38-39 If none of those things can affect His love for you, certainly your appearance can’t, either.
What do you think He would say about your appearance and your dissatisfaction with how you look? Perhaps He would say something like this.
“I created you and I love you no matter what you weigh. I wish you wouldn’t cut yourself down about your weight. There’s so much more to you than your appearance. I gave you gifts, talents and personality traits that make you unique. Please try to concentrate on those things instead. I long for you to see and enjoy the wonderful you that I created you to be.”
1. “I’m no good at recovery, and I don’t deserve to recover from this eating disorder anyway.”
Do you think that God went to all the trouble to create you, then provide a way for you to come to Him by sending His Son to die on the cross - and then work in your life in other ways to leave you alone now? Do you think He enjoys seeing you suffer in the eating disorder life?
Granted, you may have lied to others and you may have hurt others in your eating disorder. You may have been angry with God, and you may have made some unwise choices as a result of the eating disorder. That doesn’t mean that God loves you any less and that He isn’t available to help you. If you’ve sinned in some way in regard to your eating disorder, confess that to Him. Then find Him ready and waiting to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
Because you are a child of God, you can lean on Him for the strength and courage you need to recover. Remember what His Word says in Phil. 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” What do you think He might say about the matter? Based on His Word, He might use statements similar to these.
“As your Father, I don’t enjoy watching you suffer. I’m waiting for you to come to Me. You don’t have to feel deserving in order to come to Me. Just come to Me as you are and be candid with Me. I’d rather forgive you and have you close to Me again than to see you stuck in the eating disorder without trying to break free. It’s up to you to decide, but I want you to know that My love and strength are available to you whenever you’re ready.”
Can you see that when you look at yourself through what God has to say about you in His Word that you don’t see yourself the same?
I encourage you to examine your thoughts and write down some of the negative things you have to say about yourself. Next, focus on the verses above and see how they may contradict your thoughts. Search for some verses of your own as well. Then decide whom you are going to believe.
Please try to place your identity in Christ. His love for you will never change so you can’t go wrong when you believe what He says about you. When other things inside and around you change, you’ll still have Him and His view of you. So please try to see yourself through HIS eyes.
By Laurie Glass | 
