Who I Was Made to Be

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Job 33:4

The concept of my identity has been one that I’ve begun to discover more in-depth. My insecurities have often clouded my understanding of who I am and who I was created to be. Knowing and believing in the true reason for my existence and the value of my life has been an important lesson for me to uncover.

Just the other week, I was struggling with self-doubt, degrading myself for the complicated, perfectionistic, anxiety-prone mess that I am. I was discouraged by my insecurities and felt ashamed. As I grieved over not being “better”, I thought:

Why am I this way?

Why do I worry so much about perfection and the need to have everything turn out just right?

Although I know the root cause of my perfectionistic tendencies, I've struggled to comprehend the fact that perfectionism and anxiety do not define who I was created to be. The anxious perfectionism comes from the complicated influence of my flawed environment, not the foundation of my life’s purpose. I was created in the image of Christ; that’s who I truly am.

The Pressure of Perfection

Perfectionism has been a part of my DNA for as long as I can remember, but it hasn’t been something I’ve acknowledged until recently. The fear of doing what’s right, making good choices, and pleasing others have been constant battles in my life (and mind). The biggest influence to distract me from my true identity has been the fear of not being good enough.

As I delved into Scripture to understand the truth about perfection, I realized that I wasn’t created to be perfect. Because of sin and our human nature, we will never reach perfection—and that’s okay! Perfection was never meant to be our reason for existing. I journaled this about my discovery:

“God does not call anyone or anything perfect except Himself. The earth was only ‘good’ right after He made it. Sin has ruined perfection, so I must learn to live in God’s grace instead.”

Romans 3:23-24 says, "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." Through salvation, God designated a way for us to live free from our inadequacies and imperfections. Jesus’ sacrifice was the perfect atonement for our sins. By His blood, we are justified, purified, and redeemed. Because of God’s unfailing love for us, we are destined to be more than enough.

Our True Identity

The insecurities that entangle our lives do not define who we really are. They may be parts of us, but they do not equate to our value. The core of ourselves is found in the hands of our Creator and Savior.

Many different scriptures mention our value, purpose, and worth. Here are five verses that reaffirm our identity:

We are children of God: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…” 1 John 3:1
We are redeemed: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7
We are beloved: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
We are worthy: “…But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11
We are enough: “and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:10

When I struggle with doubts, anxiety, perfectionism, and frustration, I must remind myself that’s not who I am. I must reflect on the truth of Scripture and redefine negative perspectives of myself, correcting the detrimental behaviors I’ve learned. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When my human nature reminds me of my inadequacy, imperfections, and stressors, I must not identify with those feelings because they don’t define who I am, Christ does. The sin-filled effects of perfectionism may always pester my thoughts, but they will never determine who I really am.

"But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results...yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace." 1 Corinthians 15:10

Girl Power

One practice that has helped me understand more about my identity is reading personal growth books. I appreciate learning from other peoples' perspectives and gleaning wisdom from their life experiences. Non-fiction books help me discover more about myself, heal and improve insecurities, and develop self-confidence.

Recently, I read "More than Enchanting" by Jo Saxton. This book reaffirmed the significance of being created in the image of God and the value we have through Christ, specifically for women.

I found it fascinating how Saxton clarified certain scriptures that have historically been taken out of context, reiterating that “both men and women carry God’s nature and characteristics; both reflect something of what God is like.” She explains that the translation of "helper" in Genesis 2 comes from the Hebrew term ezer which means to rescue, to save, and to be strong. Ezer is not only used to describe Eve but is also used throughout scripture in reference to God delivering His people from troubled times. Saxton says, "The woman is an ezer, and so is God. We’re made in his image, and his potential resides in us!"

I admire the value Saxton sees in women and her perspective about women filling leadership roles (in many different ways). Women were not created less than men, we were not an afterthought. God intended us to be created in His image, to be a partner in life, and to fulfill a specific purpose for our lives. It was refreshing to hear a positive message about God’s purpose for women and discover another piece of the puzzle to my identity in Christ.

“...anything God creates is beautiful and such a brilliant reflection of Himself.” Lysa TerKeurst

Made to Be More than Enough

No matter what imperfections, struggles, or mistakes have held you back from embracing your true potential, I hope you begin to see the value in your existence. God created you with a divine purpose to live free from inadequacy. Things may distract you from your God-given worth, but that doesn't mean your identity is found in the brokenness of those difficulties. You were made in the likeness of God! Let His love, mercy, and grace dismantle your insecurities and reframe your thoughts. You were created with intention. Don't let any false beliefs get in the way of believing the truth about yourself! You were made to be more than enough.

*To learn more about your self-worth, read my previous blog linked below:

Embrace Your Worth

"We have nothing to prove, for [Jesus] already proved we are worth the cost of his life.” K.J. Ramsey