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Who Are You? How Identity Affects Our Response to Difficult Circumstances

We are teachers. But our identity is so much more than that. When we tie our worth to doing a good job, or our students doing a good job, it creates problems for us. Listen in as Linda shares how to lean in to our true identity in Christ from the classroom to the rest of our lives.

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Where We Shouldnโ€™t Put Our Identity

Where do we mistakenly put our identity? In our core, who do we believe we are? If that identity was taken away, would we be lost? 

Is it in being a teacher? If you werenโ€™t a teacher, would you know who you were? This is an example of putting our identity in a role. Any role can tempt us to do thisโ€”director of a play, mother, assistant principal, department head. 

Another place where we might put our identity is in our abilities or qualities. In other words, I might find a lot of my self-worth in the fact that I am a good teacher. If someone doesn't think I'm a good teacher, that is a big threat to me because that's who I am. That's where my worth comes from. Other character traits or qualities can become our identity as well, for instance being a really good friend or leader, or being compassionate or strong. If we latch onto that part of ourselves, when something threatens that quality, we see it as a personal attack on who we are. 

Lastly, do we put our identity in what others think of us? Is our likability or popularity the source of our worth? Does how others view us deeply affect how we view ourselves?

What Misplaced Identity Looks Like

When we place our identity and our worth in these things, our self-worth and our emotions get really tied to how this specific area is going. In other words, if I find my identity in being a good teacher, then when I feel like I am a good teacher, I feel good and everything is great. 

But what if something causes me to feel like I'm not a good teacher? Or if someone else believes I'm not a good teacher? What about a bad evaluation? Criticism from our studentsโ€™ parents? Because of these things, my self-worth can really plummet if my identity and my worth are tied to these circumstances. And now I feel shaky and defensive, and even have feelings of intense failure.

If my job is being critiqued, that's one thing. But if my identity is being questioned, that's a whole other realm. And we don't want our identity to be tied to things that can be shaken.

Overcoming Misplaced Identity

The reason we place our identity and self-worth in these things is because they're such a big part of what we do. They're such a big part of who we are. See how I just use that language without even thinking about it? This is who I am, right? Therefore, it's so easy to connect our worth to our vocation, but we have to fight against that. 

The answer is to remind ourselves that our identity is in God and in Christ first and foremost. Anything else comes underneath that and is so much smaller than who God says I am. 

Well, who does God say that I am?

Who you are in Christ

We are secure.

First, all people are God's creation, created by a loving God. Second, all people are made in the image of God. Three, all people are sinners, broken and in need of a savior. So that's true of absolutely everyone. 

Now, if you are in Christ, trusting in him, you have a Savior. You are redeemed by Christ and loved by God; you are his child. You are forgiven and cleansed, clothed in Christ's righteousness. 

What that relationship and redemption means is that no matter how good or bad you are on any given day, when God looks at you, he sees Jesus' perfect righteousness. That's amazing. 

So who are you?

  • His Creation
  • Made in His image
  • A sinner, broken and in need of a Savior
  • Redeemed by Christ
  • Loved by God
  • His child
  • Forgiven and cleansed
  • Clothed in Christ's righteousness
  • A member of Christ's body
  • The temple of the Holy Spirit
  • Servant of Christ
  • Ambassador for God
  • A citizen and heir of heaven

These are all the things that I am in Christ. 

Impact of Identity on Teaching

And the most important thing is that nothing can affect these. Whether you get the best evaluation or you get fired, you are still all of these things in Christ. Whether a parent raves at you or about you, whether you're the most popular teacher in the school or the least, these are true. 

Identity in Christ is firm and nothing can shake it, even if the worst scenarios you can imagine happen to you. Does that mean that every situation is easy to face? No. But it does mean it is a little easier to face. Because when these things happen, it's does not affect our ultimate worth. That core identity is not shaken because I'm still all these things in Christ. 

These things might affect my job, but they are not affecting the core of who I am. This should not allow us to just be lazy. What this should do is actually give us confidence and freedom in our work. If we believe this about ourselves, we can come from a place of security about serving Christ that should allow us to bring excitement and passion to each day. 

Our Identity is Secure

Because we are secure, we can go out and teach, we can do our best, and we can confront these problems. And whether it goes great or goes horribly, weโ€™re still serving Christ. That freedom and that security can actually free us to be more creative, to try things, to weather the ups and the downs, because no matter what happens, my identity and my worth is safe in Christ. 

Because of security in Christ, we can do our best without fearing failure and without fearing what people think, because even if it goes horribly, who we are is secure. 

Uprooting Idols

When I left teaching, I actually realized teaching had become like an idol or a false god. I had put so much of my worth in that. I had to realize that who I am is not a teacher. Who I am is a child of God. Who I am is a servant of Christ. And God has simply moved my mission for this time. It had moved from teaching to motherhood for that season of life. And out of that transition I ended up creating Teach 4 the Heart. 

So God had a plan. He knew exactly what he was doing, but I had to unroot my identity from teaching and see that my identity is in serving God. I still missed teaching. There were still days when I wanted to be back in the classroom. But I would keep going back to who God says that I am. I am whole. I don't need all these other things to be whole in Him. It is out of that wholeness that I can work now. 

Embrace the Process

Allowing God to work in us this way is a process. This doesn't happen all at once, but realizing this is that crucial first step.

Let's talk about a bad evaluation. Let's say I get a bad evaluation and my identity is in Christ this time. Well, if my identity is in Christ, then I know that I am still his child, I'm still loved. I am still accepted; I'm clothed in his righteousness; I'm an heir of heaven;  I'm his servant & his ambassador. None of these things are affected by the bad evaluation, okay? So I'm going to face this bad evaluation, hopefully first with humility and then ask, "What is there that I can learn from this?"

And that's easier because I'm not so defensive because my identity isn't shaken. It's just, my pride might be hurt a little bit. I might be disappointed; I might have hoped for something better, but my identity is secure. So I can face it with humility. I can deal with it with subsequent conversations and plans and just go on from there and just say, "I'm going do my best to serve God."

See the Results

And maybe this results in moving schoolsโ€”still that's because it's God's plan. I don't have to take it so personally. 

If my identity is secure in Christ, it's so much easier to approach evaluations, parental criticism, even student behavior with humility, the ability to listen to concerns, and a capacity to dialogue in a helpful way. It's going to help me not to get so defensive and to keep my composure and maybe even learn something from the process.

Next Steps

So how do we move toward placing our identity in Christ?

First of all, pray. If you're realizing your identity is in teaching or being a good teacher or your role as a mom, then talk to God about it. Confess to Him and ask Him to help you put your identity in Him. 

Secondly, I would say get this list and write some of those things down in a place where you'll see it often and go back over it. Review it over and over again, so you can kind of cement those things in your heart and in your mind.

Lastly, we have an upcoming free training: How to Stop Feeling Defeated and Teach with Hope Instead. This is designed to help you be grounded in Godโ€™s love and truth so you can move into each day with confidence in Him. 

NEED HELP HOLDING ON TO HOPE?

This FREE TRAINING is for YOU!

Please join us for this FREE training on February 10, 2025 

How to Stop Feeling Defeated & Teach with Hope Instead.

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our sponsor:

heRZOG FOUNDATIoN

The Herzog Foundation exists to catalyze and accelerate the development of quality Christ-centered K-12 education so that families and culture flourish.

Herzog will be accepting Teacher of the Year nominations beginning Jan. 6, 2025. If you know of a teacher who has served in Christian Education for at least a year and is highly respected by students, parents, colleagues, and the community, Herzog would love to consider them for this award. Nominations can be submitted at herzogfoundation.com/awards.

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