In Ephesians 1:11 it says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.” (The Message)
God's purpose is to offer salvation to the world, just as he planned to do long ago. God is sovereign; he is in charge. When life seems chaotic, rest in this truth: Jesus is Lord, and God is in control. God's purpose to save me cannot be thwarted, no matter what evil Satan may bring.
The only way to know who I am and what my purpose is in life is to look to Jesus Christ. He created me! God always does what he plans, and that’s why he appointed Christ to choose us.
“We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created . . . everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him” (Colossians 1:15-16 The Message).
The phrase “in Christ” is one of the most important in the Bible. In the New Testament it is used 89 times, and the phrase “in him” is used 79 times.
Because I have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, I call myself a Christian, but the word “Christian” is used only twice in the whole Bible. In biblical times, the most common description used for a follower of Jesus was “in Christ.”
That's where I should find my identity, as a follower of Jesus. Ephesians 1:11 says, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for” (The Message).
In Christ, I find out who I am, my identity. And I find what I’m living for. That’s my purpose.
The only way to know my identity and purpose in life is by getting to know my Creator. I may think I know yourself best, but God knows everything about me. He made me to love me, and he gave me a purpose only I can fulfill. If I really want to find out what that purpose is and how to pursue it, I have to get to know Jesus Christ and ask for his wisdom and direction.
When I look for your identity in others, I’m not going to find it. When I look for my identity in my job or my accomplishments, I’m only going to be disappointed.
When I find my identity in Christ, I am going to find my purpose and the motivation to get to work on it.
In summary, It’s in Christ that I find out who I am and what I’m to be living for. God's purpose is to offer salvation, just as he planned to do long ago. God is sovereign; he is in charge. When life seems chaotic, rest in this truth: Jesus is Lord, and God is in control. God's purpose to save me cannot be thwarted, no matter what evil Satan may bring. The only way to know who I am and what my purpose is in life is to look to Jesus. Because I have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, that's where I should find my identity. In Christ, I find out who I am, my identity. And I find what I’m living for. That’s my purpose. The only way to know is by getting to know my Creator. He gave me a purpose only I can fulfill. To find out what that purpose is and how to pursue it, I have to get to know Jesus Christ and ask for his wisdom and direction. When I find my identity in Christ, I am going to find my purpose and the motivation to get to work on it.
By default I tend to try to find my identity in my work. I spend a lot of time wrapped up in it. Perhaps to my own hurt. Father you have been trying to break me of that dependency and wrong thinking. What I need to pay attention to is Jesus, being a follower or “in Him”. Jesus' mission is to love, serve and show others who God is. My relationship with Jesus should help to motivate me to my real purpose. Father I pray for wisdom and guidance to pursue who I am and to fulfill the mission he has given me to do. These things I pray in your Son Jesus’ name, amen.
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