Our identity is woven into our very being. Genesis 5:1 tells us, “…When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that “if anyone is in Christ, they are a new person — the old is gone, and the new is come. They have a whole new identity.”
Still, we can believe that we are bad, damaged, flawed, worthless, and deserving of unhappiness and suffering. In his book, “The Search for Significance,” Robert McGee tells us that “Many of us are hurt emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, but because we are unaware of the extent of our wounds, we don’t take steps toward healing and health.”
Instead, according to McGee, “We all develop elaborate defense mechanisms to block pain and gain significance. We suppress emotions; we are compulsive perfectionists; we drive ourselves to succeed, or we withdraw and become passive; we attack people who hurt us; we punish ourselves when we fail; we try to say clever things to be accepted; we help people so that we will be appreciated; and we say and do countless other things.”
Living out our new identity in Christ has to take root in our thinking. This journaling experience encourages you to:
- Read specific scripture passages (follow the IdentityInChrist- download, below)
- Meditate upon the scriptures
- Pray regarding the passages
- Write down the thoughts and/or pictures that come to you