From Where do we Draw our Identity?

The examination of our identity is a complex concept to define and discuss, let alone recognize within ourselves.  In a way, identity really comes down to how we are described, by ourselves, others, and God.  Where we grow up and the family we are raised in play a significant role in forming our identity.  I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but we must recognize what artificial limits it places on our identity.  The country we live in defines us as Americans, although that can mean different things to different people, and may not mean much to God.  Our level of education and how we received it also play a large part in our identity.

Christians are frequently advised to draw their identity from God alone, but what how do you do that at a practical level?  And does that mean that the rest of the things in life shouldn’t be part of our identity?  While I would agree that we shouldn't find ourselves dependent on anything else in this world, because any part of it could disappear at any moment, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't care about those things.  Those are all factors that help shape our identity, and largely factors that we don't necessarily control.  Those are things that are supposed to help shape our identity, not become our identity.  The beliefs we hold, what we value, and the principles we adhere to are the identity that God sees, and those are all things that, while influenced by outside factors, are based on decisions that we make.

It is widely held idea that men have a predisposition to wrap up their identity to an unhealthy degree in their job and career, while women are more likely to do the same with their family and children. 
I had been finding myself concerned by signs that I might be drawing too much of my identity from my job. (How we spend our time is a good indicator of what we value)  This applies both to my current specific role in my company, and to my career as a whole within the industry.  I have learned a few things recently that have helped put that concern into perspective.  While it is true that my position in both plays a part in how I view myself, I could definitely adapt to life without either of those things present.

I recently watched a movie that involved people being laid off from a large corporation, and how they reacted.  They were losing their source of income, their office, their company phones and vehicles, and some of them understandably took it really hard.  But the flip side of this, is that the reason all of those things were tied together, is because they relied on their employer to provide all of those things, and were not accustomed to taking responsibility for those aspects of their lives.  That is a practical manifestation of what happens at an internal level with our identity.

If our identity is too dependent on any of those factors mentioned above, instead of on the resulting values and principles they are meant to cultivate, then a change in our situation can have a dramatic effect on us.  God intended for us to be people of strength, integrity, and character, and that identity is what we are supposed to draw on regardless of the situations we find ourselves confronted with.

My career has helped cultivate certain characteristics and values in my life, specifically patience and perseverance, hard work and confidence.  Those aspects of my identity are what God sees, and they will remain, even after my job is a distant memory.

The same approach can be applied to family members, all of whom will someday die, but have an effect on our identity that can out live them.  In those cases, it is important to avoid drawing your identity from who your parents or spouse is, as opposed to recognizing how they have helped you grow into the characteristics of your God given identity.