Receiving our true identity is the fruit of abiding, not striving. David G. Benner said, “We do not find our true self by seeking it. Rather, we find it by seeking God.” That’s exactly the point. It comes from the overflow of intimacy with the Father, because in knowing Him with ongoing experience, we discover who we are.

And because our true identity is eternally tied to the One who called us each by name, in Him we have access to discern the value system of the kingdom, which calibrates our default approach to everyday life and provides strategies and hope for the challenges that come our way. It anchors our hearts in a superior reality where His goodness and mercy follow us each day; where with Him, nothing is impossible; where solutions are provided before problems are encountered. And because of Him, even what appears to be hopeless and lost finds not only redemption but also restoration.

Practically speaking, therefore, if receiving our true identity comes by way of abiding, how does this play out day to day? Fundamentally, it requires regular time alone with the Lord, in the Scriptures, and in our community of believers where formation of our spirits and souls takes place. And as we abide in Him, we mature and bear fruit. In many ways, I believe this is the greatest call to believers: to grow in maturity because of the inheritance and call to sonship our loving Father has given to us.

Everything — from breaking free from the cycle of pain and unhinging our souls from shame, to learning the art of surrender, to traversing the pathway to peace, to grieving and renewing our minds — takes place as we abide on the Vine because of who we are in Him and because of Christ in us, the hope of glory! And most assuredly, it happens as we take courage, get up, and answer His call to be transformed from the inside out. Knowing who we are in Christ is therefore the hinge to all other facets of this journey toward wholeness.

Christopher Cook shares his testimony this Tuesday on LIFE TODAY. Excerpted from Healing What You Can’t Erase by Christopher Cook. Copyright ©2024 by Christopher R. Cook. Published by WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Used by permission.