Grace Upon Grace

“Who Do You Say I Am?”

Where does our identity come from?  Does the answer to “Who do you say I am?” change with our circumstances or life experiences?  In our journey with chronic pain, my husband and I are learning that neither illness nor people define us.  Only God does.  

For my husband, Steve, twenty-five years of chronic pain has taken a toll.  Unfortunately, illness can diminish our bodies and our ability to function normally.  Because of this, Steve is trapped in a body that won’t cooperate with his desires.  He doesn’t have the strength to pursue all his passions and ambitions.  Therefore, his energy is consumed with surviving and getting through the next day. Weariness reigns.

The Man Behind the Glasses

Steve wears two pair of sunglasses.  His eyes are extremely sensitive to light, which trigger a migraine.  I hardly ever see his eyes. The first thing people wonder when they meet Steve is, why doesn’t he take off his glasses?  Is he hiding something?  Yes, he is.  He is hiding his pain.  He is hiding his fatigue.  Steve is masking his desperate struggle to function in a world where loud sounds, bright lights, and adverse smells, trigger a migraine and chronic pain.

“Who Do You Say I Am?”

We tend to label people in life.  Steve has been labeled as the guy with migraine.  He hates that label because migraine does not define him.  However, sometimes I’m just as guilty.  Often when sharing about Steve, my first comment is that he’s a chronic migraine sufferer. But, we must not let disease, illness, past mistakes, or background, determine our worth.  Our identity is in Jesus Christ alone.  Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Isaiah 43 reveals how God sees us.  

You are mine.  Isa. 43:1

You are precious and honored in my sight.  Isa 43:4

You are called by my name.  I created you for my glory.  Isa. 43:7

You are my witnesses, my servants whom I have chosen.  Isa 43:10  

I need to see people through God’s eyes.  Furthermore, I need to see myself through God’s eyes.

Heavenly Father, twenty-five years of chronic pain is a long time.  Help me to remember all that You created Steve to be. Thank you that our identity is in YOU!  Amen.

Questions to Consider:

1. How do you resist the temptation to label others?
2. Have you allowed people or circumstances to define who you are?  Explain.
3. Answer the question, “Who do you say that I am?” and ponder Jesus’ response.