Definitions

If someone asked you to define yourself how would you answer that question?  Would your answer be your job?  Or maybe where you live?  Perhaps you define yourself by your political beliefs?  Initially my brain would jump to things that describe my life: military wife, daughter, friend, teacher, reader, writer.  Then I might start thinking about specific details that make up who I am and past experiences that have shaped my life.

What I've been discovering recently is how much I define myself by the externals.  Too often I define myself by the things I do not who I am.  Things like being a military wife, or a teacher, or even where we live.  While this might not seem like an overtly negative thing, what happens when that is taken away?  Who am I if I'm not a military wife, or a teacher?  My identity should not be wrapped up in these things but in Christ.  Because I am made in the image of God, it is God who defines who I am.  On a daily basis God is transforming me into the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ.  Second Corinthians 3:18 says this, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."


The beautiful thing about God is that he doesn't simply absorb us into Himself; he allows us to reflect his glory while still maintaing our individuality.  Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him." God didn't create us to be robotic clones, rather, he created us to be unique image bearers of Himself.  We are made to bring him glory by being transformed into the likeness of Jesus.  "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)


Sometimes I get caught up in worrying about what I can do to bring God glory.  It is here that I must stop a minute and remember that God is more concerned about who I am than what I do that brings Him glory.  Scripture tells us that we have been made alive with Christ (Eph 2:5) and that we are being renewed in knowledge in the image of God (Col 3:10.)  These verses are not describing acts that we perform or deeds we do.  Instead, they encourage us to be open to the work God is doing in us.  "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil 1:6.)  God is able to use me for his glory when I allow myself to be transformed by Him.

It's easy to get so worked up about doing things for God that we forget to pay attention to how he is molding us.  Being the kind of person that God created me to be will enable him to use me for the purpose of glorifying Him on earth.  So, what's your definition?