Identity – Your Choice

When you look in the mirror what do you see? You might see a lot of things. Or you might only see one thing.

You will see yourself of course. But what does that mean? When you see yourself do you see something else or someone else?

Do you only see the identity you have put on? The identity that you “wear” each day. What identity have you created for yourself?

What identity do you articulate to others? When people ask you about yourself what do you mention? It could be the work that you do, the job that you have, the role you have in your family, something that has happened in your life or almost anything else.

One identity I could wear all of the time is cancer survivor or cancer conqueror. Now I think there is nothing wrong with that being one of the things that I can say about my life and what I have been through, but I choose to not have that be one of the identities I tell everyone about regularly.

Yes I have been through the cancer roller-coaster twice. But that is an identity I don’t constantly wear because I am so much more than that. Being a cancer conqueror is not the most important part of who I am.

I choose not to have let my identity only be a cancer survivor. There are some people who regularly talk about their cancer journey and all that they have been through. While I think it is good to share our stories with people, I am uncomfortable about sharing it so frequently that people will see me only with that identity. And possibly nothing else.

A consequence of this choice is that many people don’t know my story. Or they know very little about my story and what I have been through. So I am sure I miss out on opportunities to speak about what I have experienced.

So it’s a bit of a tightrope walk. Yet I purposefully choose not to be identified as the cancer survivor constantly.

My identity is in my faith and my relationship with Christ, but that is a choice. I would rather choose to have everyone see that as my identity than anything else.

So friend, what do you think about this? What would you say is your identity? Who do people see you as? Why do people see you that way? Do you want to change your identity? Who do you see yourself as? Who do you want people to see you as?

If you don’t like the answers to these questions you can change it. It is a choice and you can choose differently. Are you going to?

Friend, I will pray that you take some time to think about this and have the courage to make different decisions if needed. You may need to think about this for a while but that is ok.

Comment below with your thoughts on identities, who you say you are or whatever else you like. I would really like to hear your story. Shoot me a personal message through the contact form on the site. I would love it if you like this enough to share it with others. Please SUBSCRIBE in the box above, it helps you know more of what’s going on.