When the World Defines You, Remember Who You Are in Christ
- Nathan Cole
- Sep 16
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 4
We like to think of identity as something we build. As if we’re the authors of ourselves. But more often than not, identity is something we absorb.
We pick it up without realising.
From family scripts. From childhood labels. From culture’s loudest voices. From the failures we haven’t made peace with — and the successes we’ve grown addicted to.
And when we forget who we are in Christ, the world is more than happy to fill in the blanks.
The names we never chose
The world doesn’t offer neutral ground. If you don’t know who you are, it will name you.
You are your productivity.
You are your sexuality.
You are your trauma.
You are your body.
You are your social feed.
You are your relationships.
You are your past.
You are your potential.
These messages don’t come in bullet points. They come in algorithms, expectations, Instagram captions, and late-night shame. They’re stitched into the air we breathe.
We may never consciously say them out loud. But we act like they’re true — hustling to stay impressive, shrinking to avoid rejection, medicating the ache with distraction or denial.
Identity isn’t just emotional. It’s spiritual.
This isn’t just a mental health issue. It’s a spiritual battle.
Ephesians says we once “followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (2:2). We were dead in our sins. Not confused. Not slightly misaligned. Dead.
But God, being rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. He didn’t just give us a fresh start. He gave us a new self — one that’s being remade in the image of Jesus.
The gospel doesn’t merely save us from hell. It saves us from every false identity that threatens to swallow us whole.
What Christ says about you
In Christ, you are not your worst day.
You are not your performance review.
You are not your diagnosis.
You are not what they said behind your back.
You are not your high school reputation or your adulthood imposter syndrome.
You are:
Chosen (Ephesians 1:4)
Adopted (Ephesians 1:5)
Redeemed (Ephesians 1:7)
Sealed (Ephesians 1:13)
Raised up (Ephesians 2:6)
Created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10)
This isn’t motivational fluff. These are spiritual realities — anchored in God’s eternal love, secured by Jesus’ blood, guaranteed by the Spirit’s seal.
You don’t have to earn these names.
You just have to remember them.
Why remembering matters
It’s no accident that the New Testament is full of identity language.
“Put on the new self.”“Consider yourselves dead to sin.”“Be who you are in Christ.”
That’s the call again and again. Not just to believe — but to remember.
Because we are forgetful people.
And forgetful people are vulnerable people.
When we forget who we are in Christ, we reach for whatever identity offers the most comfort, the most affirmation, the least friction. And usually, those identities feel good — until they break under pressure. Until the metrics change. Until the applause stops. Until the loneliness catches up.
Identity that holds
When your identity is in Christ, it doesn’t mean you never struggle. But it means your struggle has context — and your value has already been decided.
You don’t have to perform for love.
You don’t have to prove you matter.
You don’t have to chase belonging like it’s a prize you could lose.
In Christ, you are secure.
That means when you fail, you’re still forgiven.
When you succeed, you’re still humble.
When you’re forgotten by others, you’re still known by God.
When the labels come — “lazy,” “too much,” “not enough,” “unloveable” — they no longer have the final word.
Becoming who you already are
Christian growth is not about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming who you already are in Christ.
It’s not self-improvement. It’s Spirit-led transformation.
It’s not becoming your best self. It’s being conformed to the image of Jesus.
It’s not living out of fear. It’s walking in the freedom of a name that can’t be revoked.
This is not just a message for new believers. It’s for all of us.
Because in a noisy world, even the most grounded Christian can lose their footing.
Even the most “mature” believer can forget the names they’ve already been given.
If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Who am I, really?” — you’re not alone.
That question isn’t a weakness. It’s a signal.
It means you’re paying attention. It means you’re hungry for truth.
It means you’re ready to silence the noise and return to the only voice that really matters.
If that’s where you are right now, I created something that might help.
If you’re looking to slow down and remember..
There’s a lot of noise out there — and it’s easy to forget what’s most true. If you’re in a season where identity feels blurred, or if you simply want space to reflect on who you are in Christ, you might find this helpful.
I’ve created a 30-day printable devotional called Identity in Christ.
Each day invites you to pause, open Scripture, reflect, and pray.
It’s simple, unhurried, and rooted in truth that doesn’t shift with the moment.
No pressure. Just an invitation.
Originally published on Medium.
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