When I was younger, I didn’t really know where to find my identity. I thought that if I had the right friends, had the right job, or followed what I saw on social media, I would be happy and joyful. As I have grown older and hopefully wiser, I have realized that the latest trends on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook will change, or we may grow distant from our friends due to changes in our lives, or we may not be happy in the job we thought would be our dream job. For my wife and I, we realize that our identity is not found in external factors that surround us but in what we truly believe in. For us, our identity is found in following Jesus, because it’s about experiencing freedom in being fully known and loved regardless of what we have done in the past.
Knowing and Being Known
One of the most beautiful truths about God is that He knows us completely, including our thoughts, fears, hopes, and mistakes, and loves us just the same, regardless of how big or small they may be.
Psalm 139 says,
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… you are familiar with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:1,3)
I have found there’s something freeing about being fully known. In a world that constantly asks us to edit or hide our true selves, to post only our best moments, hide our flaws, and fit in, it’s easy to feel unseen or misunderstood. But God sees and knows everything, and it isn’t judgmental; it’s compassionate. The depth of that love is proven in the most powerful way imaginable, that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, even when we were still making mistakes, so that nothing would ever stand between us and Him. God chose to make a way for us to be restored and fully known without shame.
When we realize that He already knows the worst parts of us and still calls us His sons and daughters, it changes how we see ourselves. We no longer have to pretend, and we can finally relax.
Freedom in Identity
So, if God loves us regardless of our issues or flaws, what is our true identity? God defines us by who we belong to. When you realize your identity is anchored in Jesus, the striving to define ourselves by what we do, what we have, or how others see us stops. You no longer need to hustle for worth or hide behind perfection. You are already chosen, loved, and accepted by Jesus and are free to choose the path that God has for you. This could mean that you have a permanent identity, one that is not found in an object that will break or fade away, but in God, who is all eternal.
In Him lies the true freedom of being known with nothing to prove, nothing to hide.
Rules vs. Relationship
A crucial point to consider when discovering your identity in God is that it is not based on religion or rules, but rather on a loving relationship. At one point in my life, I built my idea of faith around behavior and around trying to be “good enough.” However, the grace that comes from Jesus dying on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice turns that whole concept on its head. Know that Jesus didn’t come to make us more religious, but He came to set us free.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1)
Rules can guide behavior, but relationship transforms the heart. When you know you’re loved, you start to live differently, not out of fear or because you are required to, but out of gratitude and respect. You begin to see that the boundaries God sets aren’t meant to confine you, but to protect the peace and purpose He wants for you.
Living from Freedom, Not for It
Faith is not about trying to earn love; it’s about living from it.
When you know you are known and loved by God, your life begins to reflect that truth in quiet, powerful ways. You forgive more easily, you compare less, and you rest more deeply. You start to show others the same grace you’ve received.
That’s the heart of spiritual and social fitness, becoming and living whole so that love and authenticity flow outward.
Scripture to Dwell On
- Psalm 139:1–4 – God knows us completely.
- Galatians 5:1 – Christ sets us free.
- John 10:14–15 – Jesus knows His sheep, and they know Him.
- Romans 8:38–39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Reflect
Maybe you’ve always thought faith was about following rules or meeting expectations.
Take a few quiet moments to think about these questions:
- Have you ever longed for someone to truly understand you and still choose you anyway?
- What would it mean to know that God already sees all of that in you and still desires a relationship with you?
- If freedom isn’t found in trying harder, but in being loved as you are, how might that change the way you see yourself and your future?
You don’t have to have it all figured out. God already knows you, and He’s inviting you to experience the peace that comes from being known and loved completely.