The Christian Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 12

TEENS
“DO NOT
CONFORM ANY
LONGER TO
THE PATTERN
OF THIS
WORLD, BUT BE
TRANSFORMED
BY THE
RENEWING OF
THE MIND.”
(ROMANS 12:2)
By: Cynthia Booysen
We are living in an era when identity is a hot topic of discussion. How
we identify refers to not only how we define ourselves, but also how
we want the rest of the world to recognize us. As young people in
today’s culture, we are bombarded with images of what our identity
should look like. Our identity as Christians is first and foremost in
Christ Jesus, but how can we live that identity out? It all begins with
our daily pursuit of Christ. Conform your mind to Christ, and learn
and believe what God says about you. As the saying goes, “What you
believe, is what you become” “If then you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand
of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on
earth” (Colossians 3:1-2)
Young people frequently allow their experiences, mistakes, hangups,
and struggles to define them. Their vulnerabilities define their
identity. I recall a time when I was a young girl and struggled with low
self-esteem, an inferiority complex, and rejection. Growing up, people
told me I wasn’t good enough; they made fun of my dark skin, saying
I’d never amount to anything because of how I looked. My identity
and behavioral problems as a young girl were greatly influenced by the
labels I was subjected to when I was growing up. My flaws and what
other people had to say about me began to define who I was.
When I first received salvation, I struggled to believe what the Bible
said about me. I struggled for a long time to reconcile myself to God’s
word and how He sees me. Beginning in 2017, I enrolled in a series
of teachings titled “Renewal of the Mind,” and the Lord began to work
in my heart about renewing the way I think during that series. “Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of the mind.” (Romans 12:2)
Identity has a direct impact on our values and
self-worth. We evaluate ourselves based on
how well we perform when our identity is in our
success. Being a preacher, singer, artist, or dancer
are examples of performance-based identities.
We assess ourselves based on our abilities. I
used to work very hard in ministry and serve like
nobody’s business. I later realized that I valued
myself based on the applause I got from people,
and when I didn’t get a thank you or praise from
people, I based my value and identity on that
failure. When a person’s identity is not rooted
in Christ, they become like leaves on a tree that
blows in whatever direction the wind takes them.
We must teach our children the significance of
locating their identity in the only one who never
changes, God!
This is something I’ve learned as I’ve walked in
my transformed identity, and I believe it will help
you as well.
God created us on Purpose in His image –
Young people must understand that their mistakes
and hang-ups have no bearing on their creation in
the image of God.
God’s love does not fail, nor does it change
towards us- Psalm 136 :1 “Declares that the Lord
is good, and His Love never fails.
God genuinely cares about the details of our
lives- Young people need to be reminded of
Luke 12:7...to know that God is concerned about
even the smallest details in their lives. They must
understand that He loves them so much that His
concern extends beyond their ability to care for
themselves.
In Christ, our identity is solely based on Him
and His Love. Our identity determines the type of
person we will be and how we will treat others, so
it is critical for a young person to work on identity
issues as early as possible in life. The world says,
“Find out who you are,” but God says, “Discover
who I created you to be in Christ Jesus.”
40 THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE 41