What’s Your Identity?

As I watch TV programmes and read newspapers, I see how many people aspire or strive to be like someone else. Celebrities, film stars and pop stars seem to have a great influence over what people want, and who they are trying to be. Instead of individuals seeking God for their own identity, they seek to get their identity in someone else.

In the scripture above we can see the same pattern. David, who was a young man, saw and heard how the giant Philistine Goliath was tormenting and intimidating the Israelites and their army. But David knew how God had helped him in the past, when he needed to save the sheep he was shepherding from the lions and bears. David knew His God, and knew that God would be with Him in any circumstance.

Saul agreed to David’s request to deal with this man (Goliath), who was tormenting the army of the living God and he decided to put his own armour on David. But David found the armour was too big and heavy for him, and so he had to take it off. David couldn’t wear the armour Saul had given him. Saul had tried to pass on what he knew, but David had his own skills and understanding, quite different to Saul’s.

God gives each of us different and unique talents, which we need to use as we do what’s required of us. We can’t take on what someone else has, it won’t work, and will only cause frustration and disappointment. We need to find our own identity and ways of doing things with what God has given us.

Saul was the king and did things the way he knew. David was the future king, and at an early age knew that the way Saul did things wasn’t the same as he was going to do. Today we see so many people trying to be someone else and trying to be like them, rather than finding out who they are in God for themselves.

It’s important to find out who we are and what our God given identity is. Don’t let’s follow someone else and try to take on that person’s mantle. Let’s be ourselves, and live, work and lead, so we can do what God has planned for us and for those around us.

Prayer: Father, forgive me where I have tried to be someone other than who You’ve made me to be. Father, show me the areas in my life where I’ve tried to be someone else, so I can allow You to heal and restore me, and I can walk in my true identity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.