A couple of months ago I was having a conversation with my mentor and I made the statement ” this is who I am” and after a few minutes of listening to me go on and on about “who I am” she said something to the effect of , “the beauty of life is that we can change” (paraphrase). Her statement stopped me in my tracks and I have pondered over it for the past few months.

I have great pride in the fact that I know who I am. I know what my favourite things are, I know what makes me happy, I am conscientious of my values and of things that I will/ will not do. As I thought some more about all the things that I know, I realized what the problem with the statement “this is who I am” is…

There is nothing wrong with knowing who I am but it is more important that I know who I am in Christ. If I purport to live a surrendered life, then my identity should be rooted in Christ and therefore malleable to His will. As I am conformed to Christ’s likeness, who I am also needs to be conformed.

I frequently quote the scripture, I am a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that I may declare the praises of him who called me out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 NIV emphasis mine). This means that who I am is for God’s praises and therefore my identity cannot be static. Transformation and a renewal of my mind are needed often.

I came across a scripture recently that got me thinking about this some more:

A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? Proverbs 20:24 NIV

As I surrender every part of me to God’s will, He directs my steps. And as He directs my steps and I lose a part of “me” in the process and become like Him. This means the more I become like Christ, the less of me there is and therefore “this is who I am” should become ” this is who Christ is”

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Yours Truly.