The holiday season is often a time when families gather, and hearts are warmed by the spirit of togetherness, joy, love, and celebration. Yet, this season can be a stark reminder of life’s challenges for many. Balancing responsibilities, family dynamics, conflict, estranged relationships, loneliness, financial stress, grief, past trauma, and unmet expectations can loom larger than life and cast shadows on celebrations during this joyful time.
Sarah (not her real name) is a vibrant woman in her early 50s. She faces the holidays with a lot of stress while juggling many responsibilities, strained family relationships, and the weight of unmet expectations. Memories of past trauma, grief from the recent loss of her parents, and financial stress add to the pressure cooker of emotions she feels during this time when she’s supposed to be merry. Sometimes, loneliness sneaks in and makes the festive gatherings feel more isolated than connecting.
A Listening Heart
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But you know what…
Even during all the chaos and challenges, Sarah found help by holding on to her unshakable faith in God. She anchors her soul in this truth: her identity in Christ.
Perhaps you, like Sarah and many of us, face life’s storms and challenges during the holidays. We can remind ourselves of who we are in Christ and allow the truths rooted in scriptures, like those in Ephesians chapters 1-3, to show us the deep riches of our identity in Christ.
If you are struggling this holiday season, reading, meditating, and memorizing key verses in the book of Ephesians (Chapters 1-3) will help you renew your mind and remind you of how God sees you. Know this, you are:
- Who God says you are, a beloved child of God.
- Not your past or current mistakes.
- Not who the devil accuses you of being.
8 Powerful Truths About Your True Identity in Christ
BLESSED – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)
CHOSEN, HOLY, AND BLAMELESS – For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)
PREDESTINED AND ADOPTED – In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)
ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED – To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:6 (KJV)
REDEEMED AND FORGIVEN – In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)
SEALED – And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)
MASTERPIECE – For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
ROOTED AND DEEPLY LOVED – …And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)
These verses hold some profound truths. Before the foundation of the world,
- God chose you,
- God crafted you with purpose,
- God loves you.
Despite your circumstances, past mistakes, or the present turmoil, your identity was settled long ago in God’s unchanging love.
During a particularly tumultuous holiday season, these truths became Sarah’s lifeline a few years back. Her family relationships were very volatile, and the weight of unmet expectations felt unbearable. She felt lonely as she thought about her loved ones absent from the celebrations.
In all the chaos, she turned to the book of Ephesians. She found a treasure trove of reassurance about her identity in Christ there. She realized that her circumstances didn’t define her; her identity as a beloved child of God did.
These verses from Ephesians have also been an anchor in my life and spiritual toolbox for almost 20 years. They help me renew my mind daily of my Identity in Christ.
While the holiday season may bring challenges, our identity remains secure in Christ’s unending love. No matter what you’re facing today, you too can find solace in these verses and understand that your value isn’t dependent on your family’s approval, society’s standards, loneliness, financial distress, or even your past trauma or present challenges.
Instead, you’re God’s masterpiece, crafted with purpose and destined for good works—irrespective of your circumstances.
Friend, you and I cannot even begin to imagine the depth of God’s love for us —a love that exceeds all knowledge, a love that fills us with the fullness of God.
It’s okay to embrace our flaws, face the tensions of this season, and find strength in knowing we are deeply cherished by God, the Creator of the universe. So, if you are navigating a tumultuous holiday season—remember this: Your identity in Christ is unshakable.
These truths are for every believer and a lifeline in the storms of life.
As you journey through this season, hold fast to your identity in Christ. Take refuge in God’s promises. May you find peace, joy, and unwavering confidence in the unchanging truth of your identity in Christ this holiday season and always.
Happy Holidays! Wishing you and your family love, peace and joy!
When you feel strained and stretched, how do you cope with the tension of this season? I’d love to hear your wisdom and insights. Feel free to share in the comments.
Need Encouragement? Light up Your Holidays with Hope
Weathering Storms: Finding Treasures in the Ruins is a powerful book full of encouragement and hope for those facing the storms of life. It’s available on Amazon and other book retailers.
You may also be interested in Identity: Grow and Transform Your Life.
