Part 5 – Mental Health- Our True Identity: God’s View vs. the World’s Lies

This is our final installment in the Mental Health articles. Thank you for reading along with us!

In almost every area of life—work, marriage, even church—we’re tempted to believe our worth comes from how well we perform. We hustle for approval, polish our image, and hope our goodness will finally measure up. Somewhere deep down we fear that if we stop striving, we’ll be found unworthy.

But this is not how God sees us.

Before Jesus ever preached a sermon, healed the sick, or went to the cross, the Father declared over Him: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11). His identity was not rooted in achievement but in relationship. And the same is true for us.

The apostle John says it with wonder: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1). Notice the certainty: “and so we are.” Not “if we prove ourselves,” not “when we finally get it right,” but now—already.

Still, the world keeps whispering a different script. It tells us that we are defined by what we achieve, how we look, or how others measure our success. When we listen to these lies, our souls grow weary. We run faster, try harder, and still feel empty. Even our attempts to be "Christians” can turn into another performance, as if God were tallying up our quiet times, missional hours, or moral track record like items on a résumé (or a testimony, lol).

The truth of the gospel, however, is that we are already chosen, redeemed, and loved without condition. This is not a reward for our effort—it is a gift of grace. Our identity is bestowed, not earned. When you know you are a beloved son or daughter of God, secure in Christ, you can finally stop chasing worth and start living in freedom. You don’t work for God’s acceptance; you work from it.

This is what Jesus meant by the “easy yoke.” The burden of performance is heavy, but the life of belovedness is light. The most important journey you will ever take is the journey toward your true self in God’s love.

So the question is: which voice will you believe? The loud, relentless voice of the world that demands more and more from you—or the still, steady voice of the Father who calls you His own?

Reflection Questions

1. Where in your life are you most tempted to measure your worth by performance or achievement?

2. How does knowing you are already God’s beloved child shift the way you see yourself in that area?

3. What lie about your identity have you believed, and what Scripture replaces it with truth?

4. How might resting in your true identity change the way you approach work, relationship with your spouse children or friends, or ministry (if you believe you have one)?