Personal or self identity might not be something you have intentionally thought of, but subconsciously, we have all processed the subject. Each of us has developed systems of beliefs and a sense of being that answers two big questions: who am I and what defines my value?
When thought about intentionally, these questions can be daunting, but I believe when we discover our God-given identity we can experience true peace and freedom.
Recently, while watching the movie Thor: Ragnarok, I found an amazing picture of what it looks like to discover our true individual identity. Warning, there are spoilers ahead!
Early on in the movie, Thor encounters his evil half sister, Hela, who destroys Thor’s super-special hammer, Mjolnir. This is a very important moment in the film, as the hammer has been the primary source of Thor’s powers and super hero abilities. Now without it, Thor has seemingly lost his power and confidence.
This loss comes bubbling to the surface in the final battle with Hela. Hela clenches her hand around Thor’s throat, choking him while asking the mocking question, “What were you the god of again?”
In that moment, Thor has a vision where he speaks to his recently passed father, Odin. Thor explains that Hela is too powerful for him and he needs his hammer to defeat her. Odin asks a rhetorical question, “Are you Thor, god of hammers?” Odin continues, “That hammer helped you control your power, focus it. But it was never the source of your strength.”
Realizing that the power had lived inside of him the entire time as the god of thunder, not hammers, Thor fully harnessed his power to defeat Hela!
Through each film, Thor had defined his strength and ability by a hammer. With it he was unstoppable. Without it he was very stoppable, or so he thought.
I think it’s rather special that Thor spoke with his father in the vision. Odin, knowing Thor better than Thor knew himself, was able to reveal to Thor the truth about his identity: the power had lived within him this entire time!
I think, similar to Thor, we all have items that we use to define our value. It may not be a special hammer, but they have just as much impact. For instance, how much money we make, the company we work for, the clothes we wear, the car we drive and the kind of phone we have are all things we use to define our identity and worth. Further, there are nonphysical things that mold our identity and worth: the opinions of others, number of “likes”, our intelligence, our skillset and our personality, to name a few.
I think the best way for us to discover our individual identities is to spend time with the one that knows us better than anyone else: our Father, God! It’s when we spend time with Him through prayer, scripture reading and community that we learn more about who He made each of us to be. We discover that this truth is not based on things that change, but rather on the unchanging word of God. All of this results in peace because we know who God has made us to be and freedom because there is no longer a need to perform to be something we are not. Don’t you want peace and freedom?
What are you using to define your worth and value? It is something that can change quickly? Who do you need to talk to, to discover more of your God given identity? A mentor, father or even God. Don’t be afraid to be open and honest. The truth will set you free.
Be blessed.
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Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels
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