Identity Crisis: Finding Your True Worth in Christ, Not Culture's Shifting Sands

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Feeling lost in today's headlines, seeking God's truth for our chaotic culture. Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. We'll cut through the noise guiding you to biblical discernment for your faith, your finances, and your life.Now here's Ralph Estep Jr.

Ralph00:00:18

Hey, welcome back to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. Man, it's really, really good to be with you again today.You know, my main thing with this show, with every single talk we have, really, is to just grab those everyday headlines. You know, that stuff that makes you scratch your head or even maybe it's tying your stomach in knots, and just lay it.I mean, simply lay it down right next to the timeless and comforting, seriously, the powerful truth of God's word. And if you join me every week, we're not just here for a lecture, all right? That's not what I'm all about. We're here to actually figure things out.We're here to build up our faith and to find a real kind of freedom that actually sticks. Now, I'm not talking about the kind that just sticks in your bank accounts, but. But deep down in our very hearts.And today we're talking about something I know is probably hitting incredibly close to home for you right at this moment. I want to talk today about the identity crisis. I think this is a issue with all of us right now.And I want to talk about discovering your true worth in Christ, not in the ever changing opinions of the world. Think about this for a minute, my friend. Honestly, think about this for a second. Have you noticed how much our world talks about identity these days?I mean, it's everywhere. Everywhere you turn, right? On social media, they talk about identity this and identity that. Hey, eternal in news. It's all over the news.Identity is talked about in our schools and it's talked about all over our workplaces. And there's this constant pressure to define yourself. You know, to pick a label to express your, quote, authentic self.And then, of course, if you don't define yourself, well, culture tries to define you for it, doesn't it? Maybe based on your job or maybe on your social media followers. Who are your social media followers?Well, there's your identity, or maybe it's based on your income. You know, you're a high income earner or you're a white collar, you're a blue collar, you're whatever those things are.Hey, and a lot of times, culture will define it on your appearance. Been guilty of that myself. Oh, he's that heavyweight guy. He's that overweight dude. That person's super Tall. Or that's the identity they take.Or maybe even this one. What groups you belong to, or maybe even just. Maybe just your feelings. And when you identify yourself on your feelings, they change with the wind.And if you think about it for a moment, it's like this giant, confusing echo chamber. It's constantly asking this question, who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Now, that's bad enough.But the truly sinister part is then often subtly adding this to the end of that. And are you enough? Who are you? And are you enough? And you know that feeling, don't you?You know that pressure to fit in or to stand out in just the right way. You've become accustomed to the performance. Or maybe you're accustomed to proving your worth.I just want to take a minute to reflect here for a second. I want to be honest with you, because even for me as a grown man, I'm going to be 53 in September. I'm a business owner, I'm a husband, I'm a father.I raise Black Angus cows here on the farm. But I remember moments early in my career. I mean, I was right out of college, I was chasing those titles.I was chasing those achievements because back then I thought that would make me somebody. I wanted to be somebody. And those titles, those achievements, they would do it.And I just figured at some point, that's where my value would come from. You feel the same way right now. And I've watched my own kids, too.They're in their mid-20s now, grappling with that social media that tells them cooler or enough. That pressure to create a perfect image online and that comparison that we're all fallen victims to, that's a really, really very real battle.And maybe you felt the same kind of confusion when the world tells you, identity is fluid. Man, if I hear that one more time, I'm going to smack somebody. Constantly hearing old identity is fluid.Something you could just create minute by minute. But if you feel that way, it can leave you feeling incredibly lost, right?Because if you think about it, you're constantly building your house on sand. And if you've ever been to the beach, you know what happens when the tide rolls in? The sand gets washed away by the tide.Well, if you're constantly building your identity on a house of sand, guess what's going to happen when the tide comes in? It's going to get washed away. Or perhaps you've seen the pain of others caught in the middle of this. I feel bad for our youth right now.There's this anxiety. Young People trying on a new identity every week. What am I going to be this week? You know, what does social media.What do the influencers say I should be this week then? I've seen the despair of those who feel they don't fit into any mold, they don't fit into any identity.That relentless striving to gain acceptance or that relentless striving to gain approval, only to feel empty in the end. And it can lead to serious heartache. And that's what I wanted to talk about today on my show. Because it leads to confusion.Because if identity is just what I feel today, then what am I tomorrow when I feel something different? At least the major confusion. How about anxiety? Think about this for a second. Am I presenting myself correctly? Will I be accepted?Will I be canceled if I say the wrong thing? I don't know how many content creators have been canceled because the tide said they were saying the wrong thing. That's a huge amount of anxiety.Think about comparison. And listen. I found myself in this trap. Everyone else seems to be so sure of who they are. How come I can't figure that out?You're constantly in this state of comparison. Everybody else has got it figured out. And here I am by myself. I'm the loon castaway on this island all by myself. Why can't I figure this out?It also leads to deep, deep spiritual emptiness. Because when our worth comes from shifting external sources, changes with the tide, changes with the season, changes, what's in the new or whatever.Whatever the cool kids are talking about. But when our worth comes from shifting external sources, guess what happened?Our spirit feels hollow because we're chasing something that can never truly satisfy. You're just chasing that and chasing that. You think, I'm going to get it, it's going to satisfy me. But then you find it doesn't.So then you go after the next thing and you're chasing it, and you're chasing it and you find it doesn't satisfy you. And at the end, you just feel empty and you feel hollow. Or maybe you just feel fake altogether.See, the truth is, and I've been guilty of this as well, sometimes we put on a show just to fit in. You become somebody that you're not. Well, I better do this because I need to fit in. And you do that for a while.It just leaves you feeling totally inauthentic, even to yourself. And see, this is the big lie. The world screams you. Define you, create your truth, follow your feelings. But here's the problem with that.Ask yourself this Question. What happens when your feelings change? What happens when culture shifts? What happens when that acting, that performance just isn't enough?See, that's that emptiness. Because then you ask yourself the next logical question. Where do you find solid ground then?When your feelings are changing, when the culture shifts, when. When your past performance isn't enough, where do you find that solid ground? Where do you find that anchor?And see, this isn't just a cultural trend, friend. That's why I want to talk about this today. Cultures come and go. Cultural things change.But what I'm talking about right now is a deep spiritual crisis. And this crisis is leading to widespread confusion.It's leading to mental health struggles and a desperate search for belonging at the never truly provide. Look at social media, look at the news. It's all about identity. What does this person identify as? What does this person identify as?And all it's doing is leading to confusion. We're teaching our kids that they can be whatever they want to be. Well, guess what? That's. That's not reality.And when they figure it out, what does it lead to? Mental health struggles and this deep search for belonging that the world is never going to provide. But let me ask you this question.Does God's Word, written thousands of years ago, have truly anything to say about identity? See, when I decided to launch this show and I named it Truth Unveiled, I really wanted to get to biblical truth.I went back and forth and said, maybe I call this show Biblical Truth, because this is the real point of this show every week is I want to come look at culture and I want to compare it to what God's word says. So does God's word, written thousands of years ago, have anything to say about identity?Does the Bible, the holy word of God, does the Bible, from creation to redemption, give us a clear, unshakable answer to this big question, who am I? My friend, you can take another deep breath right now. Just like last week, I told you to take a deep breath because the Bible had the answer.Well, you can take another deep breath today because you bet it absolutely does.And that truth, that biblical truth cuts right through all the noise and it gives you identity so secure, certain, so secure and so deeply profound that it will set your soul free. So let's open God's word together, friend, and see what he has to say about identity. It's not just a collection of ancient stories.A lot of people say, oh, the Bible is great. It's just. It's a collection of ancient stories about, oh, the history of this and the history of that.And maybe you're listening right now, maybe you're watching this right now. You're thinking, yeah, I kind of agree with that, Ralph. It's a collection of ancient stories, but it doesn't impact what's going on today.Hey, the Bible doesn't talk about the Internet. The Bible doesn't talk about social media. The Bible doesn't talk about, you know, all these multiple hundred and some identities.But I don't agree with that. I believe that the Bible is a mirror for your soul. Now you're probably thinking, ralph, where are you going with that?But just endeavor with me for a minute. I believe that it's a mirror for your soul, reflecting God's perfect truth about you. So let's start in the very beginning of the Word.Let's look at the book of Genesis.I don't often quote Genesis when I do my daily financially confident Christian show or my business show, but today this is so appropriate that we go there. Let's look at Genesis, chapter one, verse 27. It tells us this. And listen, this is truth. If you don't believe the Bible, that's fine.You can tune out right now. Not going to hurt my feelings at all. But Genesis 1:27 tells us this. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God.He created him, male and female. He created them right there. Boom. Male and female. Now I can already hear the cancel crowds. Oh, Ralph is going down that third rail.He's going, he's saying something. I'm going to the scripture. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God. He created him, male and female. He created them right there.So your identity doesn't start with you. That's the biggest fallacy that's being talked about right now in current culture.Oh, you can pick whatever identity you want because it's how you feel. It's what you see yourself as. That's nonsense, because your identity doesn't start with you. It starts with God. What does the scripture say?So God created man in his own image. You were literally created in his image. You're a reflection of the Holy One, the God of the world.You were created in his image, not a blank slate, not some random accident. You carry the imprint of the Creator on you. And see, that's foundational. A lot of people don't want to talk about this.Oh, you know, I don't want to talk about that, Ralph. That's a. That's a little bit skeptical. Oh, that's a little bit Controversial, but you carry the imprint of the Creator on you. That's foundational.That's before anything else, before any labels are added, before any feelings are added, before any social media account was added. You're not a blank slate. You're not a random accident. You are a reflection of God himself. Let's jump to the book of Psalms, chapter 139, 1314.And this is deeply personal. Listen to this. For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.A lot of people know that scripture. They don't know exactly where come from, but they say, I've seen it on people's walls, at their houses. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. Think about that. Knit together fearfully and wonderfully. Made, created my inmost being.See, this isn't about your physical body, my friend. That's not what we're talking about here. This is your entire being, your personality, your unique gifts, your quirks.God himself intricately designed you. And hear me on this. You are a masterpiece. No matter what any culture tells you, no matter what society tells you, you.You were intricately designed by God, and you are a masterpiece handcrafted by God himself. He created you in his image. You are a masterpiece. So start by thinking about that.When the world tries to tell you you're not pretty enough, or you're too fat, or you're too skinny, or you're too tall, or you're too short, or maybe you're not smart enough, or maybe you're not popular enough, just remember this. You are wonderfully made by the master creator. Hey, you were made by the Creator of everything.So when the world tries to tell you that you're not, something you say right back to them, right back in their face. I was wonderfully made by the master Creator who built all of it. And guess what? He built you too. Now let's talk about what happens through Christ.Let's look at the book of Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10. It tells us this, for we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. See that?See the pivot? God's handiwork. What is he talking about again? What does that really mean? That means masterpiece.You are God's masterpiece to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do in Christ Jesus. See, there's the connection. Not only were you created By God. But you're in Christ. You are recreated. You're a new creation.Your identity isn't just from birth, it's also from new birth. But bigger than that. What does it say? It says, and you are created for a purpose. A purpose. Who are you?You are created for a purpose, good works that God already prepared for you. And see, that identity in Christ gives you a purpose. So if society or culture ever tells you, oh, you don't have a purpose, go to the side.You don't matter. The scripture says it. Your identity in Christ gives you a purpose. Let's look at 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9.It gives us these incredible, mind blowing titles. He talked at the beginning of what are my titles? You know, when I was first out of college, I wanted to have that accountant title.I wanted to have that husband title. I wanted to have that father title. I wanted to have that farmer title. I wanted to have that business owner title.But let's look at 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9, because it gives us some mind blowing titles. Little controversial.Again, starts off with this, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into this marvelous light. A holy nation, a real priesthood, people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness.See friend, this isn't just a membership card. You're not just a member. Think about this for a second. These are titles of royalty.A lot of people are saying, wait a minute, you're saying I'm royalty? Absolutely. That's what you hear me saying right now. You're a chosen race. You're a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own possession.You are chosen. And that gets controversial. A lot of people, I'm not going to go there today, but this is what the scripture says. You are chosen.You have direct access to God. Think about that for a second.You might not have direct access to your boss or the higher bosses or the CEO of your company, but the Creator of the world, the CEO of the world, you have direct access to him because you're set apart and you belong to Him. And see, that's your new unshakable identity when you belong to Christ.I just want to add a few more foundational truths because this is so important for your heart. Let's look at the book of Galatians, one of my favorite books of the Bible. Chapter three, verses 26 to 28.Because it puts it clearly when it comes to any worldly labels. And that's one of the things we battle against. We battle against worldly labels.They want to put labels on us, but what Does Galatians, chapter 3, verses 26 to 28 tells us? For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith. Now, we could have a whole discussion about that, but let's continue.For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female. You are all one in Christ Jesus.That powerful truth tells us that in Christ, in Christ, the labels of the world uses to divide us. The labels that the world uses to define us, to set us apart, or above or below each other, they just fade into the background.They don't mean anything. Because your primary, most foundational identity is what, Son of God or daughter of God? What does it say? You are one in Christ Jesus?Because this brings incredible unity and erases so much of the world's identity confusion. They don't want us to think this way. They don't want to realize. They don't want us to realize. And I say they, culture, society.They don't want us to be one in Christ Jesus. But if you are a son of Christ, you are one in Christ. Let's look at 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17.It paints the picture of ultimate transformation. I love this verse in the Bible. This is one I think you should write down. Put it on your phone, put it up in your house.Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a what? New creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. I talked about transformation. See, this isn't just a little tweak, my friend.This is a total makeover. This is like the makeover of all makeovers. Move the bus. Let's see what happens here. It's a new identity, complete makeover.The old stuff, the old ways that you try to define yourself. The old shame, that old striving. When you become one with Christ, it's gone. You are new.You are fundamentally different because of who you are in Christ. Finally, let's hear this deep comfort in the Book of Romans, chapter 8, verses 16 to 17. I've said it on my daily show many times.The Book of Romans is my favorite book of the Bible. What does it say? Romans 8, 16 and 17. The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit, that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs.Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. I want to read that again because it is so impactful. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God.And if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.Your very spirit, I'm talking deep down inside, connects with God's spirit. I can't explain it, but that's what the scripture tells us. But I feel it in my faith. I feel it in my heart, testifying to this amazing truth.This should put a smile on your face. You are a child of God. You're not just a follower. Not just some follower of the group. You're not just a believer. Oh, I sure believe in God.No, that's not what it says. The scripture says you are a child of God, a beloved son or daughter. And that means you are an heir. Think about that in terms of the world.What does an heir mean? You're an heir with limitless eternal inheritance. So my big takeaway as we get to this part here is this is the ultimate identity.If you are questioning where your identity was before, you are a child of God. That is your ultimate identity. Because this is the ultimate identity. Bringing security, it brings belonging and it brings an eternal future.Because what are you? You're a child of God. Now let's talk about some realities and some, some, some differences between that and society.Because here's the stark, sobering difference between what culture often pushes, what culture pushes and it pushes a false falsehood. So let's talk about what culture often pushes and what God's word truly reveals about your identity.Because this choice, and it is a choice, will impact your peace, it'll impact your purpose, and it'll impact your very soul. Let's talk about culture's way, what I call the shifting sands again. Go back to the beach. Think about those shifting sands.When that tide rolls in, what happens? The sand moves all around. And culture's way, the world tells you your identity is fluid. It's, it's self created.It's based on your feelings, it's based on your performance, your popularity, your, your possessions, what you got, those labels that you choose or, or the labels maybe that society gives you. And it's externally validated because you need those likes, you need those followers, you need those, those thumbs up. You need that approval.You need that acceptance to confirm who you are. You got to hear it from somebody externally. You Know, listen, approval. I put something on Facebook and I got 300 people that gave me a thumbs up.Oh, they liked it. And see, that path on its surface seems to offer freedom. Oh, this is great. Listen, I've got a. I've got a way to talk to people.I got a way to interact with people. Seems very freeing, but it's really not, is it? Because it leads to profound instability. Why?Because as society changes, what was good yesterday is not good anymore. So now you're unstable. It leads to anxiety. I talked about that at the beginning.It leads to this constant striving to be liked, to be approved, to be accepted. So did you always have that confirmation?And as I said earlier, it leads to a deep spiritual emptiness because your sense of self is going to always be dependent on external factors. And when it's, when it's based on external factors, it leaves you vulnerable to every single trend. Oh, the trend is this. I don't fit into that.I better jump on that trend. It leaves you vulnerable to every single criticism. Because what is cancel culture, it's a criticism of what you stand for.And it leaves you vulnerable to every change in circumstance. Here's a mental thing I want you to picture. It's this never ending chase for something that you never quite grasp.You keep running, you're running as hard as you can. You grab for it and it just moves a little farther and you run some more.Maybe you sprint and you run, you grab for it and it moves farther away and it just go through that over and over and over. And what do you have at the end? It leaves you tired and it leaves you insecure because you're not able to ever grasp what you're chasing after.See, that's the cultural sins. Let's talk about God's way, that fixed rock in Christ. Because here's the beautiful truth. The Bible reveals that your identity is fixed.It's unchanging. And guess what? It's given by God himself.It's deeply rooted in his act of creation, and more importantly and more profoundly, in your redemption through Christ. And we'll talk about becoming one with Christ later in this show, but go back to what I said a little while ago. You are created in his image.You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are God's what I say, handiwork. You are his masterpiece. You're a chosen child of God. You're a new creation, an heir. An heir with Christ.Compare that to what the world or the cultural sands are. This rock, this identity is internal. It's secure, it's eternal. And it's not validated by some external.It's validated by God's unwavering love and his unwavering truth. And this takes you not to emptiness. This takes you to profound peace. It takes you to security.And it takes you to freedom from comparison and the ultimate destination, a clear sense of purpose.Because in this model, in this rock of Christ, your worth is not based on what you do or what others think about you or who likes you or who accepts you, but it's based on what God says you are. Nat liberates you from the world's demands, and it frees you to live authentically.It frees you to live fully, and it frees you to live confidently in his love. Because this identity crisis, it wants you to believe that you're a blank canvas. You're just this painting that hasn't been touched.It's just a white canvas endlessly drawing and redrawing your own worth. You're constantly putting it and then you're scraping it out. You're painting over it. Always subject to, oh, who's going to like this?Who's going to accept this? Who's going to validate this? That's a crisis. But God's truth invites you to embrace an identity already perfectly formed.You are perfectly and wonderfully made, eternally secure with God himself and overflowing with purpose because it comes from him. It comes from God. It comes from the Creator of everything.And that right there is the path to genuine spiritual wholeness and liberation from constant striving. You want to get off that chasing cycle, then get right with God and. And accept this truth. So now you're probably thinking, Ralph, wait a second, man.I'm guilty. Listen, as I was preparing for this, a lot of this spoke directly at me. I say at me because it spoke at me.So, my friend, how do we actually live out this liberating truth in a world that's constantly trying to define us? In a world that's constantly trying to box us in, to make us question who we really are?Yeah, but more importantly, how do we find that unshakable peace and take faithful action when our natural inclination, the flesh, our natural inclination might be to seek approval or define ourselves by external things? I want to share some concrete, actionable steps that you can take right now, starting today, focused on affirming your true identity in Christ and.And living authentically. These are things that you can put into practice right now. I'm going to call these spiritual habits Number one.Daily affirmation of identity scriptures. Remember I said put things on your wall, put it on your phone. Choose one or two powerful identify in Christ scriptures like the ones we talked about.Psalms 139, 14, Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10. All these will be in the show notes. Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17, or first Peter, chapter 2, verse 9.And I just want to encourage you, read them out loud every morning or before you start your day and take just a few minutes and meditate on what they truly mean for you. Because all around you the world shouts its lies about who you are. It's coming in from both directions. The world is shouting at you.If you don't have something to back that up. See, we need to intentionally fill our minds and our hearts with God's truth, God's truth about our identity to counter those lies.And they're just constant. And this daily affirmation helps solidify this truth in your spirit.And as you solidify that in your spirit, it's going to strengthen your inner being. So like I said, write your chosen verses on a note card or set a reminder on your phone. Hey, you can set a reminder every morning this pops up.Or simply recite them out loud in the shower or on your commute when you feel that pressure and you feel the shouting from the world telling you who you are. And as I said a little while ago, let these words become a foundation for how you see yourself. That's the first thing I'll encourage you to do.Daily spiritual affirmation of scripture. The second part is a little more complicated and you might get canceled for doing this, but you got to confess God's truth and counter those lies.So when a thought of comparison comes into your mind, when a thought of insecurity or maybe that self doubt creeps in when you start to hear that I'm not smart enough, I'm not pretty enough, I'm a failure, I'm not wealthy enough, I don't have all those things, I'm not skinny enough. That's when you got to immediately recognize it is a lie. That is a lie. Encounter it with the truth from God's word about your identity in Christ.See, the truth of the matter is our spiritual battles often take place in our own minds.And when we're battling in our own minds, in our own head, lies from culture or the enemy seek to distort our self perception and they steal our peace. And if you actively speak God's truth and in a spiritual warfare strategy to claim victory over These lies, it will get you past them.So you may be saying, Ralph, how do I do that? Here's what I say.If you think I'm a failure, if that's the thing you hear repeatedly, maybe you've made some mistakes, maybe things haven't gone your way, but if you constantly think I'm a failure, whenever you hear that, immediately say this. Even if it's just silently, no, I am God's handiwork created for good works. What did I say? I am God's masterpiece. Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 10.So when you start hearing that in your own mind, the spiritual battlefield, in your own mind, I'm a failure. No, I am God's handiwork. Maybe right now you're feeling unloved. A lot of us have felt that from time to time. If you feel unloved, declare this.I am deeply loved by God and chosen by Him. God loves me and he chose me. Scriptural reference for that is 1 John 4:10 or 1st Peter 2, 9. Again, those will be in the show notes.And just practice this. Consistently practice that confession of God's truth. When one of those thoughts comes in, just go right back to what I told you a second ago.Actively speak God's truth. Another thing I think that is absolutely important, and I see less and less of this.You got to spend more time in God's presence, letting him define you. Listen, we live in a busy culture. As you're listening to this, it's not too far off because the kids are being back in school.But this is a time to prioritize spending unhurried, quiet time in prayer and worship. I'm not talking about the occasional, oh, I'm going to say a prayer on my way to bed at night before my I'm out.But really prioritize spending unhurried quiet time in prayer and worship. Simply focusing on God's character doesn't have to be elaborate.Focus on his love for you and allow him to speak into your spirit about who you truly are. Because as I've said several times today, our identity is derived from our relationship with our Creator.Well, if our identity is derived from that, the more time we spend with him, the more we see ourselves through his eyes, not the world's, because we live in the world.I don't know how you couldn't otherwise you live in this world, but the more time you spend with God, the more you see yourselves through his eyes, because his voice is ultimately the authority on your worth.So from a practical standpoint, here's What I'm gonna encourage you to do, set aside just 10 or 15 minutes daily if you can do more, that's specifically for this. Put away all distractions, turn off the phones, put them in the other room, maybe play some worship music.You know, one of the things that I did when the world was really closing in around me, I really found a lot of comfort in spiritual music. And a lot of times, listen, I have a playlist right on my desktop in YouTube. I just go, when I get a feel. Stressful day, I hit that playlist.It's just worship music. And what does it do? It starts to speak backward out against that shouting from the world around me.That battle that's going into my own mind, that spiritual warfare that's in my own mind, my self talk. I'm not good enough. I'm not attractive enough, I don't have enough, I don't make enough.When I play that music and I hear about the promises of God, I hear about all the wonderful things that Christ himself has done for me, that just changes my whole perspective. It clears the battlefield. Another thing you can do is just sit in silence. You know, how many times do we actually sit in silence?Hey, listen, it's tough for me too. I'm always on my phone. But there have been days lately where I go out and walk around the farm. I leave my phone in my office.I just listen to the birds, I listen to the, the trees and the wind and all those things around me. I listen for God. Just all for a prayer. And maybe it's a simple prayer like this. Father, remind me who you say I am. Because sometimes, guess what?We need to hear that. Just say to him, listen, remind me who Lord, you say I am. And just listen for his general affirmation.Now, there's some other things I want to share with you. There's some ways to resisting this culture identity pressures. These are more practical things you can do.Like, first thing I'm going to tell you to do, and I'm doing this actively myself, filter your social media input to protect your self perception. It's a simple process. When I was a kid, I was always taught garbage in, garbage out.Well, unfortunately, most of what you see on social media is garbage. Not all of it. I said most of it. So protect yourself from that. Consciously audit your social media feeds.Hey, if somebody is doing stuff that you dead set against, unfollow those accounts. If you got friends who are always bellyaching and complaining and you're not grateful, block them, be done with their Content.If that constantly triggers comparison, if that constantly triggers feelings of inadequacy or envy or pressure to perform or define yourself. Ways that go against your biblical identity, get rid of it. Audit it, unfollow it, mute it. Be done with it. Because here's a simple truth.Social media is a primary driver of this identity crisis. Why? Because it's constantly showcasing these curated lives and setting these unrealistic standards.Well, I can be like this because this person on social media is that way.Well, look at my friend across town I just saw on Facebook, they're doing this, this and this, or my Instagram, look, look at this person, look what they're doing. I don't do that. I don't have the capacity to do that. I'm not smart, I'm not pretty enough. That's what's driving this identity crisis.It's telling you lies and protecting your mental and emotional space from this input is vital. It is crucial for your peace and for your own self acceptance. Here's one of the things I'm going to encourage you to do.Take a social media fast for a few days or maybe a week and just reset. And when you return, intentionally curate your feeds to follow accounts that inspire you. If it's not inspiring, don't look at it.If it doesn't educate you, don't look at it. If it doesn't uplift you spiritually, don't endeavor in it. Rather than those that make you feel less or that drive comparison.It's time to start using that unfollow button and it's time to start using it freely.There have been some things that have gone on in the news the last few months and I have unfriended more people on Facebook than I friended in the previous 30 days. They took a stand for something that I am diametrically opposed. So what did I do? Unfollow. I encourage you to do the same thing.Next thing I'm going to do, I want to encourage you to focus on character and calling over performance and popularity. What is Ralph talking about? What I'm saying here is shift your personal goals and evaluation away from those external metrics.We're so hung up on how many followers we have, how many Facebook friends do we have, how many people do we know on Instagram, how many likes and shares do we have, how many subscribers do we have, how much applause do we get, how much recognition do we get? Those are all external metrics. It's about performance. You're an actor, you're a fraud. It's not authentic. Focus on your calling.Focus on those internal metrics like integrity. Take 30 days and focus on being a person of integrity. Take 30 days and focus on being a person of kindness.Take that energy and push it out to the world. Kindness or faithfulness. Or maybe how about obedience to God's calling And put the growth in your character. See, because here's the truth.Culture elevates performance and popularity as a measure of worth. Hey, you got this many followers, I gotta go. This one's cool. I gotta be like him or her. Oh, look at this influencer.They got a hundred thousand likes on their last post. And that's how culture, that's how culture measures your worth. What does that lead to? I've talked about this a couple times.It leads to exhaustion and it leads to spiritual burnout. But that's not what God calls us to do. God calls us to develop Christlike character. You know, the old wristbands. What would Jesus do?What is it talking about Christ like character? Because what did the scripture say? Fulfill the unique purpose that he's given us.If you fulfill the purpose that Christ has given you, that will lead to lasting satisfaction. Here's how you do that. Every evening, reflect on this question. Ask yourself this. And this is so searching.But ask yourself, did I honor God today with my character regardless of those external results?Did I unfollow that clown who was putting stuff that I disagree with, that I unfollow that person who all they want to do is suck me into the comparison trap? Did I, Did I, did I mute things that I don't need to hear anymore?And then set some goals for spiritual discipline or acts of service about what I can give rather than just those career milestones or those social media metrics, as they say, and celebrate growth in holiness and what matters, not just popularity. Here's one thing I'm going to encourage you to do as well. Seek validation from God alone, not people. Stop looking for validation from other people.Because you're never going to get what you desire. It's just going to be moved farther and farther away. Well, how do you do that?You practice intentionally bringing your desire for approval and acceptance to God in prayer. Just remind yourself that his opinion of you is the only one that truly matters.Some of the most successful people that I know, some of the most, well, I'll call it well adjusted. They're very certain of who their identity is and their identity is found in Christ alone. They could care less what other people think.They don't care about the opinions of the world. They don't care the opinions of these other people around them because the only one that matters is Christ alone. God.See, when we seek validation from people, a lot of people don't want to hear this, but when we seek validation from people, we become slaves to their changing opinions. Oh, today I can say that tomorrow you're going to get canceled for that one. Ralph. We're slaves to those changing opinions.And that leads to anxiety, that leads to that constant fear of rejection and leads to compromising our values because it's always changing. But what do we know about God's love? What do we know about God's acceptance? They are unconditional and eternal. So practically, how do you do that?Before entering a situation where you might feel judged, maybe a social gathering or a work presentation, just pray this. Say, lord, I seek your approval alone. And Lord, just remind me that I am your beloved child, already fully accepted in Christ.And when you believe that, when you pray about that, when you receive criticism or when you feel rejected, take it right to God. God, this is how I'm feeling. It's okay to say to God, listen, I don't feel good right now. God, somebody's criticizing me. I feel rejected.Lord, take it to him. Let him reaffirm his truth about you, my friend. The identity crisis in our culture is very real. And it's a very tangible pressure on all of us.It tries to relentlessly steal your peace, it tries to relentlessly steal your joy, and it tries to relentlessly steal your very sense of self. It's kind of funny if you think about it. What is your identity? And it's trying to seal it the whole time.It tells you that your worth is a moving target, something constantly moving, constantly changing. Those sands, as we will talked about at the beach, depending on how well you perform. Hey, how's your performance? How much you accumulate?How much stuff you collect? Or how many people just, oh, I approve of that. It's trying to force you onto a treadmill of endlessly striving. Like I talked about, income pairing.I'm striving, I'm comparing, I'm striving, I'm comparing, but you never get anywhere. But God's truth calls us to something infinitely richer, something profoundly deeper, and something wonderfully more satisfying.He calls us to rest in the unchanging reality of who he says you are. What did he say? He says we're beloved, uniquely created, perfectly designed, and eternally redeemed, child of God.And I want you to hear this right now, because the pressure and the noise and the shouting of society is no joke. And you are absolutely not alone feeling this pressure. God sees your confusion.God sees your striving, and he feels your longing to truly know yourself.And in the end, he offers you a finally a step off of that treadmill to a place of peace and to a place of purpose, not in defining yourself, but being defined by Him. He offers a peace that isn't dependent on any label. There's no label, no trends, no human approval, but on his unfailing love and eternal truth.So I just want to encourage you today to choose today, together, to courageously resist the world's identity crisis. Let's choose to embrace what God says we are over who culture tries to make us.Let's decide to choose that secure piece of his perfect design over exhausting striving for human validation, knowing that our truest joy, our deepest security, and our most fulfilling purpose are found in truly walking with God and resting in his love and living out the unique, beautiful identity that who gave us, he has given you. Because this is where real freedom is lived. This is where spiritual wholeness blossoms.As we wrap up today, friend, I want to share something even more important than finding your true identity or overcoming cultural pressures.And this is about the deepest connection of all, and that's a relationship with God Himself, the One who created you and the One who loves you beyond any measure.And if you've been listening today, perhaps feeling this heavy weight of the world or feeling that emptiness, maybe you're feeling that emptiness right now, deep inside it. No amount of cultural labels or striving can ever truly feel. You feel like you're really going after that. You're so right.I'm trying to grab it, Ralph, and I can't get ahold of it. And maybe today your heart's just been gently nudged to realize that truly the only real lasting security and peace comes from God Himself.And perhaps you've never truly given your whole life to Jesus Christ. Yeah, you might have heard about him, perhaps, but haven't even taken that step of trusting him completely. Because I want to remind you of something.He is the one who beats sin. Christ. Did he beat death? And yes, he even beat the identity, confusion and despair of this world.And he offers not just good advice for life, he offers a lot of that, but eternal life and a relationship with God that absolutely nothing can shake and nothing can steal.So if you feel that gentle push, that stirring in your spirit right now, if your heart is saying, yes, I just want to invite you to pray this simple prayer with me right now from the deepest part of your heart, just say this. Dear Heavenly Father, I know I'm a sinner and I really need your forgiveness.And I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is your son and that he died on the cross for my sins. And I believe that you powerfully raised him from the dead. And right now, Lord, I confess my sins to you right now.And I humbly ask you to come into my life. I give you my life today, Lord, completely. I choose to follow you, Jesus, as my Lord, as my Savior, starting now and forever.Thank you for your amazing love and for your precious gift of eternal life. And I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.Listen, if you prayed that prayer or even if you're just thinking about praying that prayer, thinking about your relationship with Christ, please know this, friend, heaven is celebrating your decision right now. Because if you made that choice, you are now a loved child of God, you are an heir and your real wealth is safe with him forever.And I just want to encourage you to share this decision with a trusted Christian friend, maybe you know, a pastor or you're welcome to reach out to me because I'd love to hear from you. Just go to truthunveiledwithralph.com/decision because I'd love to help you figure it out, the next steps in your faith.You know, finding a good Bible believing church home is super important that you grow in that in Christ. As you have that information, I just want to thank you for joining me today on Truth Unveiled with Ralph.I know we went, we went into a lot of stuff today, but we needed to really battle this cultural feeling of identity. So may God richly bless you, my dear friend, as you live for him in every part of your life. Remember you're his masterpiece.And I just pray that you find peace in how he takes care of you in him. So join me next week as we keep unveiling God's truth in a world full of questions.And until then, I encourage you, walk in faith, learn with wisdom and live confidently. Grace, God bless you. Be well.