But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
1 Peter 2:9-10

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A very long time ago now, God made this star—my first baby girl. For the first year or so, every time I heard her wake, I felt like it was Christmas morning. I couldn’t get enough of her.

And in a blink, we were dropping her off in a dinky dorm with a roommate she didn’t even know. Inconsolable,I felt abandoned by my “Christmas morning” girl.

I guess I was having the first identity crisis of my life. Who was I without my girl?

I felt alone—all alone. 

Perhaps you know how that feels when the person you have loved for many years has betrayed you, or when someone you loved more than life itself has passed from our world into Heaven. Or maybe you feel alone because of an indiscretion you have committed that feels unforgivable. I don’t know about you, but sin, when I haven’t confessed, also makes me feel terribly alone. 

Peter, the author of our passage today, betrayed Jesus three times. Can you imagine how Peter felt after years of spending time with the Savior? He probably couldn’t even remember who he was in Christ—a significant identity crisis. After the resurrection, before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus forgave him. Peter then went on to write books in the Bible and became a person who declared the hope we have in Jesus for the remainder of his life.

Peter’s identity was no longer formed in what he did for a living, the kind of parent he was, or even the type of friend he was.  Peter learned how to abide in Jesus, or in other words, how to live a life with God.

In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter tells us we are His royal and special chosen possessions. He also calls us to confess our sins, turn, stand in His glorious light, and abide in Him, which is not just a superficial relationship—it is a tight, indestructible bond.

It’s the best news ever—God will never leave you. If you choose to accept Him, your identity will reflect Christ in you. 

I have said goodbye, identity crisis. I hope you will, too!

Next Steps

If time allows, read and meditate on  John 15:4-7 about abiding in Jesus. What will help you abide? Consider getting involved in a Bible Study, Rooted, or a Serving Group. At Willow we have found that “iron sharpens iron.” Listen to this old but truthful song: You’ll Never Walk Alone.