Connect Who You Are to Whose You Are
Every step closer tied my stomach in knots. On the kitchen counter laid the evidence that my biological father existed.
Around seven-years-old at the time, my birth certificate brought a painful reminder that my real dad was missing from my young and vulnerable life (both me and my twin sister).
Although I had a new dad enter the picture, my wonderful step-father Wendell, who loved and cared for me.
Still, my heart ached to know deep down:
Who am I?
And more importantly, Whose am I?
Likewise, have you ever struggled with questions about identity? We discussed identity in Christ recently. Yet, we need to take it a step further.
Who and Whose
Sometimes we separate who we are with whose we are. But the two were always meant to be one and the same.
Sometimes we separate who we are with whose we are. But the two were always meant to be the same, to connect identity to belonging. #identity #belonging Click To TweetMy father came back into my life a few years later. And my last name had already changed to my step-father’s with my adoption. Then, my name changed again, back to the original family surname, when the adoption was deemed as not valid.
My sister and I lived with one dad (step) and visited the other. I wasn’t sure whether or not to call both “Dad.” Because they were different as night and day in personality, discipline, showing affection, communication, and opinions.
It was all confusing.
Identity and Belonging
When I came to know Christ as Lord and Savior at sixteen, I began a new life in Christ with a brand new father, my heavenly Father.
And God, the Father, not only wants us to rest in who we are in Him, but to also find our security in whose we are, we belong to Him.
Because at our very core, who we are and whose we are can never be separated.
God, the Father, not only wants us to rest in who we are in Him, but to also find our security in whose we are, we belong to Him. Because at our very core, who we are and whose we are can never be separated. #identity #belonging Click To TweetSo let’s look at powerful declarations to connect who we are and whose we are.
Connect: God Knows My Name
(1.) My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b (ESV)
(2.) God knows my name. (Isaiah 43:1)
(3.) My heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with everything about me. “You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:3 (ESV)
(4. ) God, the Father, adopted me into His family. No longer a spiritual orphan, I now belong. (Galatians 4:5-7)
(5.) The Lord loves and cares for me. (Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 23)
Connect: The Lord Fights For Me
(6.) My heavenly Father calls me beloved, child, saint, blessed, and His. (Romans 1:7, John 1:12)
(7.) God, the Father, delights in me. “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 (ESV)
(8.) The Lord fights for me. (Exodus 14:14)
(9.) My heavenly Father watches over me. (Psalm 121:5-8)
(10.) God has desires and plans for me. (Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6)
Connect: The Father Counsels Me
(11.) My heavenly Father guides me. (Psalm 37:23)
(12.) God, the Father, counsels me. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8 (ESV)
(13.) The Lord shows mercy to me. (Psalm 51:11)
(14.) My heavenly Father disciplines me for my good and His glory. (Hebrews 12:6)
(15.) The Lord has my best interest at heart. (Psalm 84:11)
Connect: The Lord Listens to Me
(16.) My heavenly Father rejoices and sings over me. (Zephaniah 3:17)
(17.) My heavenly Father extends unending grace to me. “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16 (ESV)
(18.) The Lord continually pursues a relationship with me. (Ezekiel 34:11, Luke 15:4-7)
(19.) God, the Father, thinks about me. (Psalm 139:17)
(20.) The Lord listens to me. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 20:12-13 (NIV)
(21.) My heavenly Father heals me emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. (1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 147:3. Psalm 30:2)
My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life, knows my name, is intimately acquainted with me, loves and cares for me, fights for me, listens to me, thinks about me, guides me, counsels me, and so much more. #identity #belonging Click To TweetWho and Whose Challenge
Which of the 21 declarations speaks the most to you in connecting identity to belonging?
Perhaps, as a next step, take one declaration a day and journal for 21 days meditating and praying over each one.
Featured images by my husband at the Townsend Wye in the Great Smoky Mountains on our YouTube channel.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Tell His Story/Recharge Wednesday/Let’s Have Coffee/Tune in Thursday/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected/Candidly Christian and Faith On Fire.
© 2021 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Amen. He knows me. I am thankful to be a child of God.
I am, too, Melissa. God, the Father, adopted us into His family. No longer spiritual orphans, we now belong. (Galatians 4:5-7)
Amen! It was learning who God says I am and not who others tried to define me in that I was finally able to break those bonds of shame and doubt. Your post reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, which came from a dear friend a couple of years ago, “I pray that no one learns I was a Christian at my funeral.” I always take that to mean if someone has to tell the world I was a Christian during a eulogy, then I failed miserably as a child of God. Loved this post Ms. Karen!
J.D., your friend’s quote is truly powerful. It brings to light that we not only rest securely in who we are and whose we are for our own benefit, but also proclaim we are a child of God to others for their benefit. Unbelievers seeing our security, firm and unmovable, is sure to point them to the Father.
Karen,
In a world that is searching for it’s identity, this is such a blessing. People have a void and are trying to identify it by , sexual orientation, drugs, gender, race and etc. All they need is to seek Jesus! That is where our identity is found. That is where Peace and fulfillment is. Thank you for this timely article. It needs to be shared over and over.
Thanks so much, Carla. Good insight about culture’s struggle to discover who they are. How sad to attempt to find identity in things that fizzle and fade away…that have no eternal value. Thank God He sent Jesus to redeem us so the Father adopts us into His family.
What wonderful (and powerful) verses to keep close by. From the very beginning, the enemy has attempted to skew our vision of the One True God, our Heavenly Father. When we know our Father well, we rejoice in finding our identity in Him alone.
Cathy, great point you bring up, “When we know our Father well, we rejoice in finding our identity in Him alone.” If our relationship with Him is intimate from time spent in His presence, worship, prayer, and reading His love letter to us, we can’t help but find our true identity.
Thank you for this beautiful description and your journey to identity. So many adopted children struggle with this. pinned
Thanks for commenting and sharing, Mandy. My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life, knows my name, is intimately acquainted with me, loves and cares for me, fights for me, listens to me, thinks about me, guides me, counsels me, and so and more.
I am so thankful that my identity is in Christ and not in the world. Great post Karen.
Me too, Yvonne, at our very core, who we are and whose we are can never be separated.
Whose we are is ultimately what matters, Karen, and we are children of the Most High. Love scriptures you shared here today with us, too. All great reminders of God’s unfailing love.
Blessings!
Agree, Martha, “whose we are” matters most. And when you think about it, when we understand and celebrate that truth, who we are falls into place. God bless!
Who AND whose – thank you for making that connection. Definitely needed that today!
Thanks, Ava. The Lord always meant for us to connect identity with belonging!
We need to apply the labels he has for us to ourselves, not the ones that come from the enemy–and from fear. Nice post, Karen.
True, Nancy. The enemy hopes the wrong labels stick as he continues to attempt to rob us of our real identity in the Lord. But we’re on to him. 🙂
Such truth here. I have teens and am surprised by how their generation is finding such comfort in LABELS (my generation didn’t like labels at all). It’s fascinating but still always makes me realize that the ONLY label that is important is my identity in Christ.
Oh, yes, Jessica. I don’t like labels at all. I only want to be defined by my heavenly Father and know I belong to Him.
Karen, I can’t imagine the heartache of the name changes, adoption, “unadoption”, etc. Praise God you found your true indentity in Christ! I struggled with my identity for a long time, and still have moments of doubt, so good to be encouraged and reminded today “whose I truly am”. Thank you!
Donna, the Lord has certianly used my story for good, to help others, and for His ultimate glory. I think we all struggle with identity at times in life, believers and unbelievers alike. Yet, the Lord always wants us to be secure in Him.
The Lord has my best interest at heart. (Psalm 84:11) Knowing He has my best interest in mind and heart comforts me.
I relish that one, Stephanie! We know there are times people don’t have our best interest at heart. The motives are only to use us or get something from us. But not God!
Your younger years sound like such a testing, especially the adoption and unadoption. My heart breaks for the younger you that had to experience such confusion. But I am so glad you have found an anchor of Truth, “Sometimes we separate who we are with whose we are. But the two were always meant to be one and the same.”
I like how you said, “found an anchor of Truth.” Yes, that’s an amazing way to state it. Because it is true. So thankful to finally know who I am. And more importantly, Whose I am! God bless, Lisa.
I had a father and step-father, too, and understand the dynamics. What grace that ultimately our identity is in our heavenly Father.
Barbara, I’m sure you relate. So thankful God, the Father, adopted us into His family. No longer spiritual orphans, we now belong.
‘At our core, who we are and whose we are can never be separated.’ This is so true and comforting, Karen; thanks for pointing this out and for sharing these encouraging scriptures.
Appreciate you reading and commenting, Carlie. Our heavenly Father calls us beloved, child, saint, blessed, and His.
Amen Sister in Jesus-Yeshua Christ-Messiah Karen!!
WE NEED too REMEMBER ALL🇺🇸 ✝🇺🇸 our Fallen HERO’S WHO SERVED in the ARMED FORCES, as they GAVE us ALL too our FREEDOMS USA in our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America!!
( https://kristiann1.com/2016/05/27/mdr/ ) Remember and Honor our HERO’S!!
UPDATED NINE Videos!! REMEMBER All our Men and Women who SERVED in the ARMED FORCES!! MAY GOD BLESS USA🇺🇸 🇺🇸and ISRAEL-YISRAEL✡🇮🇱 !!
( Psalms 33:12 KJV ) “Blessed is the Nation whose GOD is the LORD; and the People whom HE hath Chosen for HIS Own Inheritance.”!!
( Psalms Chapter 117 KJV ) “O Praise the LORD, all ye Nations: Praise HIM, all ye people. For HIS Merciful Kindness is Great Toward us: and the Truth of the LORD Endureth For ever. Praise ye the LORD.”!! Praise the LORD HIS HOLY NAME!!
United We STAND with Israel-Yisrael / Christian Nation United States of America, and our Christian Earth, Divided We FALL!! I am Pro-Israel / Pro-USA / Pro-Life!!
( I John 3:16 KJV ) “Hereby perceive we the LOVE of GOD, because HE laid down HIS Life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren and sisters.”!!
“Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only GOD keeps You Going.”!! Amen-Amein Praise Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua Hallelujah!!
I Love you all Everyone through Jesus-Yeshua Christ, because HE LOVED EVERYONE FIRST!! 💕 Praise Jesus-Yeshua Christ for Today and Everyday!!
Love <3 Always and Shalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
God bless you, Kristi Ann!
Love this, Karen. We know who we are by knowing Whose we are.
Thanks, Ashley. Identity and belonging were always meant to be the same in Christ.
Karen, I cannot imagine how confusing and difficult the name changes were for you (and your sister). “Because at our very core, who we are and whose we are can never be separated.” Amen! And He calls us His own!
It was confusing, Joanne. Strange to even have to tell my friends at school and let the teachers know that my last name changed, then changed back. But I’m grateful we forever belong to our heavenly Father when He brings us into His eternal family.
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