Identity is Key

            I spent last week with a very weird group of people in the first of four Institute of Spiritual Formation week long retreat/conferences.  When I say weird I only mean that it was an interesting gathering of people.  Among them from Scotland a production engineer, and a Pastor; from Britain an author, an few Salvation Army folks, a couple of medical professionals, a pastor, and a housewife; from Germany a computer systems analyst; from the US a retired Seminary President, an attorney, a Nurse Practitioner, a couple pastors, a few church leaders, a certified sex therapist.  The speaker for the week was a South African Pastor.

            I learned a ton, from Trevor Hudson, the speaker, from the reading that I’ve been doing, and from the cohort of 40 individuals walking this journey. I was reminded of a truth that is so significant I thought I would toss it out to you from my experience.  “Ministry always follows Identity.”  This was an awesome reminder for more than just ministry, but for life.  Where do you find your identity? 

            Let me apply this to myself for the sake of unpacking it for a moment.   Is my identity wrapped up in being “a pastor?”  If that’s true then I grind away at ministry in order to maintain my identity so that I can be called pastor.  The danger here is that I live in tension for the simple reason that if at some point I lose my role as “pastor” I also lose my “identity.” Losing one’s identity is kind of a big deal for life.  I have actually thought about this much over the years and I think I’m settled on this particular one.  Maybe there are other places that I’m finding my identity, so I’m working that out.  But what about you?  How do you identify yourself?  The problem in identifying ourselves by what we DO or by what we HAVE is that those things can be taken away and then we’re in an identity crisis.  Our role in business or at home, our wealth, or our social status… they are all too some degree or another shifting sand.  In order to live and move with confidence and joy we must know that our identity is wrapped up in something unchangeable.  Any ideas?