Identity & Inner Healing

I believe identity has a great deal of influence on those whose cultural traditions are tied to it. Personally, identity does not affect the turmoil of my soul much. The struggles I go through are the lessons the Lord has designed specifically for me (1Pet 4:12), with the intent that I will learn and mature through them (James 1:4). Paul accepted that struggles are part of living for the Lord, “our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (2Cor 7:5). I’m not concerned that there are moments of fear in me; rather, those moments are reminders to trust in Christ’s work at the cross (Phil 3:7-8; Ps 56:3).

Focusing on my mercurial feelings (of the heart) to identify its various biases is futile because of my deceitful heart (Jer 17:9; Prov 28:26). I resolve to trust in what Jesus has said and promised rather than how I feel or identify (Heb 13:5; Mat 28:20; John 17:12, 18:9). I agree with the author, “identity is a gift that is received from a loving Father who has adopted you” (p. 72). However, I also can extrapolate this from Paul, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom 8:16). The Holy Spirit will act upon my spirit to confirm my status in Christ instead of me trusting in my ability to identify myself as an adopted child of God.

I believe that I am a child of God through faith. However, according to John, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1Jn 3:2). What this means is that I can’t know the breadth and depth of my status in Christ yet, but I’m comfortable with uncertainty and will continue to trust what Jesus has said concerning me.