(The Identity Question)
A 6-Part Series on Biblical Identity for Men
We live in a world constantly asking, “Who are you?”—then trying to answer that question with noise, pressure, and lies. Culture says you are your job, your image, your success, your feelings. But if you’ve ever found yourself restless or uncertain, you’re not alone.
This 6-part series is about going back to what’s true. Not self-help—God-help. It’s about silencing the noise and rediscovering your identity in the only place it was ever safe: in Christ.
Whether you’re searching, struggling, or simply ready to grow, this journey will help you:
- Understand who you really are and why it matters
- Identify the lies and distortions that attack identity
- Reject counterfeit versions of manhood
- Embrace your new identity in Christ
- Live from a place of security, not striving
You’re not defined by your past.
You’re not limited to what you’ve done—or failed to do.
You are who God says you are.
Let’s rediscover what that means—starting now.
True Identity: Becoming Who God Says You Are
We all carry the question, whether loud or buried:
Who am I, really?
Not just our job title, our relationship status, or how many followers we have.
Not what we project. Not what others assume.
The real question is: Who am I when no one’s looking?
That question haunted a man named Ted.
He came to a church event and stood at the edge of the room, hesitant. When someone asked what brought him there, he said,
“I’m trying to see if anyone else here is as screwed up as I am.”
Ted was looking for more than community. He was looking for identity.
And he’s not alone.
Restless Hearts, Broken Mirrors
Saint Augustine once wrote,
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
That restlessness lives in all of us. Some call it emptiness. Others call it anxiety, or depression, or low self-worth. But at its root, it’s a broken mirror—we can’t see ourselves clearly anymore.
Culture tries to help.
“Be true to yourself.”
“You are what you feel.”
“Define your own truth.”
But here’s the problem:
Feelings aren’t solid ground.
They shift. They lie. They don’t have the final say.
God’s Answer: You Are Who I Say You Are
When we ask Who am I?, God doesn’t give us a motivational speech.
He gives us truth.
He goes back to the beginning:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…’
So God created mankind in his own image… male and female he created them.”
(Genesis 1:26–27)
You were created in the image of God. That’s your origin story. That’s your true reflection.
You’re not an accident.
You’re not defined by your past.
You’re not limited to what you’ve done or failed to do.
You are known.
You are seen.
You are meant.
God Looks Deeper
When the prophet Samuel was looking for Israel’s next king, he almost chose the wrong man. Why? He was focused on appearance—on what looked impressive.
But God said:
“Do not consider his appearance or his height…
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7)
God sees beneath the surface.
He sees your mess and your potential.
He sees the wound and the worth.
Let’s Get Real
Maybe you’ve built your identity around:
- Your success (or failure) at work
- Being a “good man” or moral person
- Hiding the addiction, the shame, the divorce
- What people think you are instead of who God says you are
But what if your true identity isn’t something you achieve—it’s something you receive?
What Now?
We’ll spend the next few posts unpacking this idea—what it means to be made in God’s image, how identity gets distorted, and what Christ came to restore.
For now, here’s your invitation:
Let go of who the world says you are.
Be open to who God says you’ve always been.
Reflection Question
Have you ever felt like Ted, wondering if anyone else struggles the way you do?
What helped you in those moments?
"From Prison to Pulpit: The Divine Set Up Journey of Author Shawn O'Neill" 
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