Trauma Aware: 7 Days to More Biblical and Empathic CareSample

Day 6: Finding Your Identity in Christ

In contemporary society, the pursuit of identity has become an increasingly prevalent preoccupation. The passionate quest to establish and prove who we are becomes the focus of our lives and is matched only by the desire to ensure that others recognize and accept our achieved identity. However, as the late Timothy Keller astutely expressed, “Identity is received not achieved.”* This truth is essentially relevant when trauma becomes a disrupting force in a person’s life, taking a lethal aim at the very core of who we are.

In the midst of this struggle, it is crucial to be grounded in the foundational truth that we are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and as his beloved children (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 6:18; 1 John 3:1), we have an identity that is secure and eternal (2 Corinthians 12:27; Colossians 3:3; 1 Peter 4:1-5). This stabilizing reality stands in stark contrast to the tumultuous assault that trauma can inflict on our understanding of our identity. The pivotal question arises: If identity is received, what or who is the source from which we are receiving it? The world would say it is yourself. But the reality of traumatization and the resulting alteration of self shows that we are not a strong enough source to keep our identity secure. Instead, the answer lies at the heart of the Christian faith: God is the giver and keeper of your identity. In his love, which was demonstrated through the sending of his son, we become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), and nothing can separate us from this identity (Romans 8:31-39).

Because of this new identity we have in Christ, God fully accepts us and loves us. We are his children. No matter what happened to us, what we have done, what has been done to us, or what we have been through, nothing can change what God says about us. We are his, and he will keep us.

The verses in the paragraphs above are the ballast that will keep a heart steady when the storms of life come. Read them to those you walk with. Let them serve as anchors for your own heart. Isaiah 43:1-5 is a great reminder that you are loved, chosen, and precious to God even when trauma has been a part of your story. Remember, in Christ, you are God’s beloved child. Our minds easily forget these truths or tell us a different story. A deep understanding of one’s identity in Christ is the catalyst that will usher in spiritual growth and keep us steady even in the traumas of this life.

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* Timothy Keller, "An Identity That Can Handle Either Success or Failure,” YouTube, 2015. (accessed July 9, 2024).