Before you define your goals or discover your New Year's resolutions, it’s important to ask yourself a deeper question:
What does it mean to be me? Who am I, really?
This question about identity isn’t just for those who are married and stewarding a family. It’s for the singles, the dating, those who have lost their spouse, and those who are grandparents. How can you pursue dreams and goals if you don’t know who you are?
In this blog, you'll learn how to journey into your identity, learn to adopt kingdom core values, and discover the power of establishing Biblical guiding principles for your life. As you do so, your New Year’s goals will come into alignment with God and the power of His word.
A Journey into Identity
Knowing your identity as a child of God is essential. The world tries to tell us who we are, what we’re worth, and what makes up identity, but true identity comes from God. In the Bible, God is referred to as our Heavenly Father and He is the perfect One who loves us, wants the best for us, and even rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
Because God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27), it means that we have His likeness. We’re called to be like Him, to love like Him, and to follow in His ways. So, as you’re journeying into your identity as a child of God, it’s important to remember that the basics don’t change.
As children of God and followers of Jesus, we are commanded to:
- love God (Matthew 22:37-38)
- love others (Matthew 22:39-40)
- love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39)
- love our enemies and bless those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-48)
- forgive those who have hurt us (Ephesians 4:31-32)
- share God’s love and His Gospel with others (Matthew 28:19-20)
Have you accepted Jesus as Lord? If not, today is your day! Learn how to receive Jesus into your heart and discover the basics of being a disciple in our blog: This is For You!
What Do People Think Of When They Think About You?
Now that you know the basics of Christian identity and what it means to be a Christian, it’s time to seek God about kingdom principles and kingdom core values that will define your life.
For example, Proverbs 22:1 says,
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. - Proverbs 22:1
When people think of you and your name, what do they think of? Do they think, “Wow, she’s so generous,” or “He always asks me if I need prayer at just the right time!” These are examples of good things we want people to think of when they hear your name. Next, we’ll discover how to create guiding principles so that you’re set up with a clear vision for the New Year and beyond.
Related Post: How to Start the New Year Right: Prayers for a Blessed New Year
How to Create Guiding Principles
The first step to understanding your guiding principles is to ask yourself the simple question:
What does it mean to be me? What has God called me to?
If you’re stuck on how to answer this question, here are some simple prompts to help you decide:
What are the guiding principles that would help you...
- Make quick decisions in the moment
- Have clarity under pressure
- Be consistent in your behavior, no matter what other circumstances are in your life.
For example, Dan & Jess, the founders of the Everyday Faith podcast, have 3 guiding principles. Their guiding principles are to seek God, value people, and live intentionally. Here’s what these guiding principles mean to them and how they play out in real-life:
1. Seek God
When people think about Dan & Jess, they want them to think, “Wow, they seek God!” A scripture that they found to inspire this guiding principle comes from Matthew 6. It says:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” - Matthew 6:33
What does this Bible verse look like in real life?
Real-Life Application:
- Seek God before your schedule
- Seek God before discipline
- Seek God before big decisions
Learn more about the power of seeking God and obeying His commands for your family: How to Create Generational Blessing
“In our family, we don’t seek comfort first – we seek God first.”
2. Value People
The second guiding principle that Dan & Jess follow is to value people around them like Jesus does. A Bible verse that helps support this guiding principle comes from John 13. It says:
“Love each other. Just as I have loved you…Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” – John 13:34-35
So, what does this guiding principle look like like in real-life and in family life?
Real-Life Application:
- Valuing people by how you speak at home
- Valuing people by how you treat strangers
- Valuing people by how you handle conflict
“We don’t just love people when it’s easy – we value them even when it’s hard.”
Related Post: Discover the Power of Seeing the Person in Front of You
3. Live Intentionally
So, be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity. – Ephesians 5:15-16
Every day is a gift from God, and when you treat it like a gift, it changes everything! For Dan & Jess, living intentionally looks like staying prayerful, staying interruptible, and staying in step with God throughout the day.
What does this guiding principle look like in real-life?
Real-Life Application:
- Intentionally keeping cash on you so you can give financially to those in need
- Intentionally putting your phone down to spend quality time with those you love
- Intentionally reading the Bible and praying every day
Discover more about living intentionally and how to grow in sharing your faith: How to Cultivate a Lifestyle of Evangelism
Key Questions to Ask Your Family
Now that you know more about your identity and have examples of what guiding principles could look like in your life, it’s time to ask some more questions to help you get even more granular about your vision. While these questions are built for a family, you can adjust them to your stage of life.
1. What does it mean to be a (insert your last name here)?
2. What is our family purpose?
3. What are 3 guiding principles that will help us follow Jesus when life gets hard?
4. What is one daily goal we can live out and meet each day?
Conclusion
As cliché as it may sound, understanding who you are begins with knowing whose you are. You will define your vision, set goals, and live differently as you settle into the reality that you are a child of God. When your identity is really rooted, it provides purpose for how you live. By seeking God, valuing people, and living intentionally, you can build guiding principles that reflect Christ and shape your daily decisions. As you continue this journey, be sure to invite God into the process and allow Him to define your identity and values.
Want help along the way? Listen to the Everyday Faith Podcast to boost your faith and your identity in God. You can listen to the Everyday Faith Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. New episodes drop weekly!
