Last year, a group of students and I studied the book The Search for Significance by Robert McGee. It was an in-depth reading study that used the Word as its foundation. We learned about how we often build our self-worth, indeed our very lives, on our ability to please others and on how we appear to others. We choose to base our sense of value on our performance or success and then do all we can to hide our failures, insecurities and weaknesses. This is what the world intends, but not what our Father ever intended.

The point of the book is to help us base our worth on the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ alone. We talked about how to embrace the total acceptance, full forgiveness and depth of love beyond our wildest imaginings that is ours in Christ. Our discussions soon became more than just words. Eventually, the solid truths we encountered transformed our very identities, even our attitudes and behaviors.

Thinking about these riches in Christ have kept me focused and grounded during an intense time of testing, transition and trusting in the Lord. I learned so much about God’s desire and determination for us to find freedom this side of heaven. I remain confident of his guidance and certain of his control. A fresh level of faith now marks my walk with the Lord and greatly influences how I interact with people. My identity in Christ has never been more cherished and secure, and yet (of course) the journey continues as God pursues me with wild abandon each day of my life.