For devoted followers of Christ, two things never change regardless of any circumstance. They are your identity and mission. Your identity is who God says you are and is dependent on no one or anything else. Your mission was set by Jesus before He returned to be with His Father; we are to tell everyone about His love and character, and to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to reality on earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 6:10).
Human tendency is to focus on what is going on around us, what is affecting our comfort and our plans, and allow those things to define who we are and what we do with our lives. And thus we fall into another of Satan’s insidious traps.
A big problem is we are still refusing to dispense with the pride which sent humankind spiraling down it’s sin-fueled path. Adam and Eve questioned God’s character. They didn’t believe He knew what was best. They thought He was holding out on them. In their pride, they listened to the lies of Satan and the rest is our tragic history. Our pride says we know better; it says this life is all about us, so we better make the most of it while we still can. Pride hides your identity and diverts your mission. Deep down you know it, but responding to truth becomes more difficult the farther down the path we go.
God calls you His child (John 1:12). Jesus called you His friend (John 15:15), You are a co-heir with Christ to all God has (Romans 8:17). You have been specifically designed to do the work of building His Kingdom (Ephesians 2:10). You can read more about your identity in Christ in Greg Boyd’s excellent article, “Your Identity in Christ”, and I encourage you to take the time to do so. It’s great to be reminded how God sees us. It is our true identity.
Our mission is plain. We are to live our lives as Jesus lived His. Disciples understand this life is not about them; it is always and only about Jesus. As we live and love as He did, we will see the lives of others transformed and see glimpses of His Kingdom here on earth. It is our job to prepare ourselves, our families, friends, neighbors, and all those with whom we come into contact for eternity. It is God’s will for your life and the mission He has entrusted to each of His followers.
Your identity and mission are defined by Christ. He has plainly told you who you are. He has given you an incredible identity that cannot be taken away unless you hand it over to the evil one. No one can define you but God Himself. He created you for a purpose: to reflect His glory to others so they might come to know His incredible love and mercy. Your identity and mission are settled. Don’t let anyone deceive you; you are God’s unique craftsmanship, created to do amazing and unbelievable things for His honor. We need only keep our eyes on Jesus and live out the life He designed for us to live.