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This past spring I decided to take my running hobby to the next level and run a marathon. After months of training and with the help of my running mentor, I managed to complete all 26.2 grueling miles! It was such a personal accomplishment. My identity as a runner had been established and taken to the next level... but then… I realized I was injured.
After a few weeks, my hip was not recovering like the rest of my body had and after seeing many different doctors and getting expensive tests, there was no solution. I just needed to rest. Just like that, my identity as a runner was stripped from me more quickly than I had earned it.
A few months later, I was let go from my job. Not because the company was financially unstable or because I wasn’t performing well. In fact, I had just exceeded my monthly quota the month before! I was let go because I wasn’t passionate about my role. The team could feel it and I could feel it. It just wasn’t a good fit for me. I had moved across the country and spent the past year learning this job, but just like that… it was gone too.
So here I sit - a fully educated, single, independent woman who had lost the things that made me who I was.
I picked up more hours at my part-time job working at a popsicle shop. Still, I was thankful that God had provided me with some income. This season of life has been very humbling for me. At first, it was embarrassing for me to be working a minimum wage job with a Master’s degree and after years of working as a professional.
One day I was running late to get to the shop and my new haircut was not cooperating with me! I knew I looked silly. Also, I didn’t have a clean uniform, so I was wearing a wrinkled one that didn’t quite smell the best because it had been worn before. To make things even worse, I woke up exhausted and with major cramps. In that moment, I felt completely defeated. How did my life come to this!?
By the grace of God (and a potentially problematic lead foot) I was 7 minutes early to work that day. I ran across the street to buy some coffee from Starbucks and as I was leaving an older gentleman opened the door for me and uttered “Your Majesty!” I have no idea why this complete stranger was being so kind, but in his silliness he brought me to tears. I was reminded of my true identity.
“And I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:18
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs—
heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”
Romans 8:16-17
As a believer I am a child of God, I Am Royalty! Even in a wrinkly t-shirt, on my way to work my minimum wage job. What I do has no bearing on what has been done for me. When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t say life would be easy or painless, but He did say “It Is Finished”. We have been reconciled with God since the day we believed in the Good News of the Gospel!
Our New Identity Is Royalty
The more we look to other identities to fulfill us…
our job
our income
our education level
our volunteer hours
our relationship status
our Instagram follower count
our retweets…
the easier it becomes to forget who we truly are as daughters to the King.
What are you tempted to put your identity in outside of Christ? If you’re unsure, write down a little bio about yourself that you might say to someone you just met. In a few sentences, describe you. The first things we want to share about ourselves are usually how we identify.
Now write down a bio of what you think your friends and family would say about you if they were to describe you to someone who had never met you. Are you living a life where others identify you as a Christ follower?
Write one of these verses in a place that is visible where you struggle most. Here are some ideas to help you stay in alignment with God’s Word and your identity in Him. Set the background on your phone to a favorite verse. You can also change your desktop wallpaper on your computer at home or at work, write your verse on your bathroom or wall mirror, etc.
Share ways on Radiant Faith Ministries social media via Facebook or Instagram on how you stay encouraged every day!
Thank you Tricia for volunteering your time and talents to write this beautiful piece of truth!! We loved hearing about your personal journey during a challenging season! Your words are so encouraging and it's inspiring to hear how you choose to focus your heart and eyes on God's character and nature. He always guides us as a light on dark and unknown paths!
If this blog post was an encouragement to you, please share this on social media for others to read!
- The Radiant Faith Project Team
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