As Christians, we need to remember that the deepest point of our identity is not in the fame or fortune we achieve in this life; our ultimate identity is tied to our loving, obedient responses to God’s call on our lives. If He calls you to be a brain surgeon, then be the best brain surgeon you can be—for Him. If He calls you to be a stay-at-home mom, then be the best stay-at-home mom you can be—for Him. But in whatever He calls you to do with your life here and now, never forget that He also calls you a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). Yes, one day you will literally be a citizen of heaven, but even now, the eternal God who lives outside time sees you as a citizen of heaven. After all, you are His precious child. Compared to that, whether you are a U.S. Senator or a convenience-store clerk is a small distinction.

Many of us have trouble believing in God’s extravagant goodness toward us. It seems we have been conditioned to think of ourselves as unworthy creatures. We believe we are not good enough, or holy enough, or sincere enough to get really good things from God. “Who am I to presume upon God’s goodness?” many of us ask. But the fact remains that all Christians have a rich and extravagant inheritance in Christ. We may struggle to believe it, but it is true.

We need to remember this prayer Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Christians have a marvelous, incomprehensible inheritance awaiting us. And it’s all because of who we are—we are joint heirs with Jesus! That’s our identity. God calls each of us to embrace that ultimate identity for eternity. But for now, He also calls us to accept and embrace the person He created us to be—

The thief on the cross who begged for forgiveness in the last moments of his life must have been shocked when he stepped over the line into paradise after Jesus told him he would (Luke 23:43). I imagine this former thief walking the streets of gold, shocked at the robe he was given and the greetings he received from the angels. When he asked what it was all about, one of the angels told him, “You don’t understand—you’re a king here.” The thief looked at the angel, stunned. “A king?” he asked. “If I had known I was a king, I would have never lived as a thief!”[i]

When we go through difficult times, a support group can be beneficial to our mind, soul, and spirit. Many of us have a loved one who identifies as homosexual or transgender. So we journey through difficult days and painful situations, never thinking God could use us to help others who travel a similar journey

[i] Mike Bickle, Seven Longings of the Human Heart, Forerunner Media, 2006.