Mistaken Identity - Part 2

In my last blog post I wrote about how I have recently discovered a case of mistaken identity in my life; I have been finding my identity in places where I should be finding it. You can read about it here.

When I wrote my last post, my husband asked me what "identity" meant and why it was a bad thing to find my identity in what I was finding it in. As I thought about what "identity" meant, this is the definition I came up with: Identity is that which defines my value or worth. My identity is who I am. I would say that it's something more than just what describes me (i.e. I'm a wife, a daughter, a sister, an administrator, a friend, etc.). It's what defines the core of my being. It's the answer to the philosophical question "who am I?".

Now some people do answer that question with what describes them. Some people's identity is in their job and they pour their life into it because that's where they find value. Some people find their identity in being a wife or a mom and that's where they find their value. As I wrote in my last post, I was finding my identity in what did and how busy I was. Since I was a busy person, I was important and valuable.

Why is this sin? When I define my value by something other than what God says, I have essentially put myself or something else higher than God in my life. Example: If I find my identity in my job and how much I accomplish at work, I'm demonstrating that my job is more valuable to me than the Lord; that I value what my job offers me more than what God offers me. You see, there is a correlation between what we value and what gives us value. We value the things that give us value. If I have two co-workers and one of them sends me an email about how great of a job I am doing and one of them sends me an email telling me that I suck at this job and should quit, I immediately like the first person better than I like the second person. Why? Because they gave me value. Therefore, I value them more than I value the other person who told me that I was not valuable at all.

So when I find my identity in something other than God, I'm telling God that the value he gives me isn't good enough and so I will find my value elsewhere. And because the value he gives me isn't good enough, he himself isn't good enough because he isn't giving me what I need. And so, I elevate something or someone else above God because I think it will give me the value I need. The problem is that when that someone or something goes away, I get dropped like a rock, leaving me feeling very worthless. Because nothing except the Lord can fully and completely satisfy my need for value and worth.

How does God do that and what is my value in God's eyes? Stay tuned for part 3.