It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Ephesians 1:11 MSG

What criteria do you use to define your own existence? That’s a big question! Do you know the answer?

How do you find out who you are? What criteria do you use? Is it what other people say or have said about you? Is it public acclamation or your accomplishments? Is it the opportunities that you may have received or not received? Perhaps you define yourself by your good behavior or religious activity. I can say that was my story. Yet, none of those things are what God uses to define us.

In this grand adventure of life with God, we often think of our life with God as what we do FOR Him— our devotional activity, our acts of service. But what God really wants from us is to understand that our life WITH Him isn't really about those things. What it IS about is knowing and living in our identity in Christ.

Ephesians 1: 11 in The Message translation of the Bible says that "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." God wants you and me to be defined by our relationship with Him rather than all the other things that we seek out to tell us who we are.

As you consider what defines you, ask yourself, “Am I finding out who I am in Christ?” What criteria are you using to define yourself?

What defined me? In my early years, what defined me was my family experience. I learned that being a "good girl" brought positive feedback from my parents and teachers, so that became my unconscious strategy for life. Underneath the good behavior was insecurity; a belief that I was second choice, a consolation prize; that my good behavior made me worthy of existence. At the core, I believed I was less than, not good enough; accepted, but not dearly loved. That began to change for me while I was leading a women's small group.

What I discovered. As I led the group through the chosen material I discovered a verse that I knew God wanted to become an identity statement for me and a message for me to share. It's really only a part of a verse, but it defines who you and I are if we have said YES to God through Christ. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved..." Colossians 3:12 goes on to explain how we should behave because we are God’s but think about that identity statement. Our identity. My identity. Your identity. You are chosen, holy and dearly loved.

The truth of who you are. God chose you; He intentionally called you His. You aren't simply a tag-along. You are holy— set apart for His divine purpose. And you are dearly loved. Not second choice, but a cherished child. Is that how you define you?

I am still working that through the fabric of my belief system, but I know that, regardless of how I might feel on any given day, that is the truth of who I am.

Chosen.

Holy.

Dearly loved.

It's the truth of who you are, too. It really is.

Key Question: What criteria do you use to define yourself?

A Scripture to Consider: It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Ephesians 1:11 MSG

A YES Challenge: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what you use to define you and ask Him to help you build your identity in Christ. How might your life change if you began to build on that truth?

Prayer: Lord, I am truly overwhelmed by the thought that my relationship with You defines who I am. I have absorbed so many false ideas and used so many other criteria to define me. I want Your love for me and who You say I am to be the core of my identity. Help me to truly know that I am chosen, holy and dearly loved by You. There is no other defining criteria that I need! Amen.

September 12, 2026

This is Not Forever

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT

As I tearfully opened the sodden boxes of our stored belongings, wondering what was ruined, a verse came to mind,

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

We were temporarily living with my parents, and our stuff was stored in Tom’s parents' garage. They had a plumbing issue in their bathroom above the garage, causing a leak that soaked several of our boxes and other items, including our mattress. We weren’t sure what was salvageable.

That period of time was already difficult. We were waiting for a job to open up and unsure how long that would take, how long we would be living with my parents, how long our stuff would be stored. Both sets of parents had been patient, loving, and gracious. There was no one to blame for the water damage. Sometimes things just happen.

But when that verse popped into my brain, it completely changed my perspective on going through the damage. The tears didn’t stop. There was some mourning and disappointment. But at the same time, there was hope. This was temporary. These things were just things. What really mattered was how I responded. I could choose an eternal perspective. I could choose to treasure Christ more than an earthly possession.

As it turned out, very few of our things were unsalvageable, and insurance more than covered anything that was lost. But the eternal perspective I gained is a treasure that I still carry. That simple shift helped me through the three and a half years of living in the in-between.