Identity: who are you really?

“For in Him we live and move and exist (that is, in Him we actually have our being), as even some of your own poets have said; “for we also are His children”

• Acts 17:28

It’s like an inevitable trap that most entrepreneurs fall into. The intriguing thing is that we do not even notice that we have fallen so deep into it. What am I talking about? I’m talking about our identity, my identity, your identity. Before I proceed, let me tell you a story about my early childhood.

Growing up, I tended to identify myself as any person I thought was inspiring. Once upon a time, I declared to my parents to call me Doctor Mbanaso, the man who successfully carried out a surgery on me at the age of 5. I soon adopted the dressing style of a musician I admired, Bright Chimezie, whom I luckily got to take a picture with during the New Yam festival in my village. Another time, I wanted to be called after one of my uncles, who wore suits to visit us in the evenings when he dropped by our house. I was a child and enthralled with wonder about these great figures in my environment. Looking back, this was deep calling to deep. A pointer to my spirit resonating with the greatness I saw which also reflected the greatness and potential in me yearning for expression.

In a short while, I continued to become self-conscious of my existence, my environment and absorbed knowledge to satisfy the curiosity of my infancy. My parents, especially my mother, would play a key role in helping me gain clarity of my birth and the circumstances that led to my appearance in this world. Yet, one thing remained vague, where was I before I came into being? where had I been all this while? How did I come about?

Identity. Who am I? should rank amongst the most asked questions in the world by billions of people on earth. I am indeed certain that many people have come to contemplate this question at many phases of their lives. Realizing with surprise, disappointment and confusion most times, that our identity is not in the works we do or in our achievements.

Who we believe we are manifests in our actions and those actions done repeatedly overtime become what we are known for - our reputation. Yet, this is not who we are. This is not where our identity lies. Not in reputation, not in our work, not in our successes or failures or shortcomings. 

As entrepreneurs, we’re almost synonymous with our titles and our creations. For example, think of Steve Jobs and what comes to mind? … I bet you know. Yet, can we really prove that through one dimension of a man? Who we are and what we create are not the same. While some elements of our identity can be found in the nature of our creations, they do not categorically equate.

Attaching our identity to our work and creations can be dangerous to our self-esteem and self-confidence. What if something does not go as planned? What if our grand work and creations fall apart in a twinkle of an eye? What becomes of us? It is important to separate what you do and who you are. 

What you do is not who you are.

We anchor ourselves in our identity. It’s our amour against the vicissitudes of life. If you agree, then you’ll also agree that anchoring your identity on ephemeral things is not a good strategy. If things fall apart as they most likely will, where we’re anchored is our only assurance for hope and restoration. The question is, where is your identity anchored? In Christ Jesus or in your work, reputation, invention, success, failure, or ambition.

“In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will”

• Ephesians 1:5

It is in Christ that we have our very being. In Christ Jesus we have our identity. Now, it is crucial that we understand this, believe in it and live it out daily. Let it be our anchor in adversity and in prosperity. Let it free us from our tendency to become overly attached to our creations and reputation as entrepreneurs. Let it be Christ first and all else nothing. This is liberating! We don’t have to put up any appearances, we don’t have to pretend to be what we are not. Rather, in humble confidence and meekness (controlled power), we fulfil God’s purposes for our lives, surmounting challenges, spreading the culture of the Kingdom and winning eternal victories through Christ Jesus.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” 

• Philippians 3:20

In conclusion, meditate on these words and may the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of His Spirit reveal Himself to you which directly reveals YOU to you. Amen.

Write me: ogbonna.chibunna@gmail.com