Where do we find our identity? If you were an NFL star making lots of money, you would probably find your identity in fame, wealth, and athletic talent. Not Cooper Kupp, wide receiver for the Los …
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Where do we find our identity? If you were an NFL star making lots of money, you would probably find your identity in fame, wealth, and athletic talent. Not Cooper Kupp, wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams.
Thus far in the 2021 NFL season, Cooper Kupp has been outstanding. He is leading the NFL lead in touchdowns, receiving yards, and receptions. In the post-game press conference after last Sunday’s game, Kupp said, “Today, the verse that was on my mind was Proverbs 16:9, ‘The heart of man chooses his path, but the Lord establishes his steps”. “It just gave me so much freedom to go out there and play free, give everything I had, and know the results rested in Him.”
Kupp has discovered a marvelous truth in his life. It’s a truth that defines him.
The truth is that it’s not his success, wealth, or fame that makes him who he is. It’s not even his athletic prowess. Instead, it’s his identity in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reads, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Cooper Kupp realizes that it’s Jesus’ presence within him that makes him who he is. He is proud to profess Jesus as the core of his identity and purpose in life! He’d never be able to do it all on his own.
Cooper said, “Knowing where your identity is and knowing that as much as I want to be a football player and I strive to be that [but] I’m so much more than that. This life is temporary but there’s such great things ahead. No matter what the naysayers say, no matter what anyone tells me, I know that my identity is in Christ, and nothing can take me off of that.”
This is the truth that we have to realize ourselves. No matter what the world would have you believe, your identity is rooted firmly in Christ. If you try to find it anywhere else, you will be missing your true self. You can’t place your sense of self in anything that you do separate from Christ, no matter how impressive those things may be.
If you want to embrace the purpose that God has prepared for you, you have to look towards Jesus. He will guide you along the beautiful journey of discovering everything God has destined for you to become.