Identity And Your Family Tree

“Someone stole my identity yesterday. They returned it to me after spending 24 hours with my family.”

I saw this on a meme the other day and had to laugh.
I could also relate to the message behind the humor.

Candidly, if someone “stole” my identity and spent 24 hours with the family I grew up in, they would’ve encountered a whole lotta conflict, turmoil, and dysfunction. I think they’d return my identity and say, “Thanks, but no thanks. You can keep it.”

Maybe you can identify with the brokenness I experienced. Like me, maybe you inherited a lot of baggage from your biological family. Or perhaps you were fortunate to have a family with a lot more love and a lot less drama.

Regardless, there is no such thing as a perfect family. Even the best families have flaws. When it comes to family dynamics, I think we all experience a little bit of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

But have you ever considered how much our families help forge our identities?

Families have a profound impact on our values, behaviors, and sense of self-worth. For better or worse, so much of who we become is connected to our family of origin. If you grew up in a healthy, loving family, you likely developed confidence and security. But if your family, like mine, was full of dysfunction, you may have a hard time letting go of wounds from the past. You might battle insecurity, fear, or feel like you’re never enough.

It can feel hopeless, like you’re destined to repeat the same patterns you inherited.

But I can share with you something I’ve learned?

Your family tree doesn’t have to define your identity.
Those patterns of sin, shame, and struggle that may have run through your family for generations?
It’s possible for them to not have the final say.

How?
By becoming a part of a new family, the family of God.

That might sound a little hokey to you, but I promise, it’s real. I’m a living testimony of just how much becoming a child of God can rewrite your story. Check out this Bible verse:

“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13

John is telling us that they are two kinds of births:

1. A physical birth-I think we’re all clear on where babies come from, right?

2. A spiritual birth-Contrary to popular belief, we are not all children of God. Only those who have been “born spiritually” are His children. We experience a spiritual birth by “receiving” and “believing in the name” of Jesus Christ.

“Believing” is much more than merely knowing some information about Jesus or going to church occasionally. It means that we surrender control of our lives, place all our trust in Jesus, and follow Him as our Lord and Savior.

To be clear, a spiritual birth isn’t about trying to be a better version of yourself; it’s about God transforming you into a totally different person, a new creation. You’re not signing up for a religion. Instead, through faith, you’re beginning a relationship with your Heavenly Father.

And get this…when you become His son or daughter, He gives you a brand-new identity, one that isn’t rooted in your earthly family, but your spiritual family.

So, it comes down to this- Have you ever experienced a spiritual birth? Are you a part of the family of God?

Family drama and dysfunction may have defined your past, but through Jesus, they don’t have to define your future.

Today is a great day to receive a new identity, join a new family, and change your legacy forever.