Is Your Sense of Worth Based on What You Do—or Who You Are?

Significance—we all need to know our lives count for something. For many of us…

Our sense of worth is wrapped up in what we do instead of who we are

—and we don’t even realize it!

I’ve been an avid follower of Christ for over 40 years. I know my relationship with God is not performance-based—that I cannot earn His love or my way into heaven. It is a free gift given through His Son, Jesus. These truths have become part of who I am.

However, the Lord recently showed me that I still had a remnant of this wrong performance-equals-significance mindset. As a type A personality, deeply rooted thinking like this can be hard to uproot. Let me explain.

I’ve struggled, like most people, with my identity and self-worth. In my journey, God showed me this freeing truth: That although…

I am not worthy; I am not worthless!

Part of what helped me truly embrace this truth was realizing the meaningful role I have in partnering with God to produce fruit that lasts for eternity (Jn 15:5,16).

When I know God has used me, I feel significant and valued. What could contribute more to a sense of worth than impacting someone’s soul forever? Slowly but surely, I became more secure in my identity in Christ. What an amazing difference a simple suffix can make (worthy vs worthless)!

However, almost imperceptibly, my focus shifted. I began basing my significance on how I was used by God rather than on my usefulness to Him.

Being used is an event—being usable is a state of being

It’s a very subtle but important difference.

God does want to use us, but He loves and values us whether we are usable or not. He is more interested in who we are than in what we do for Him. You and I must understand that our impact for His kingdom flows out of who we are in Christ and abiding in Him.

Again, what a difference a little suffix can make (used vs usable)!

Now God can use anybody for His purposes. But in order to reap the rewards (both future and present ones), we must be a willing and submitted vessel in His hands.

In my desire to make a significant impact for God’s Kingdom (out of my love and gratitude), I found myself fretting—wondering how to accomplish it and whether I was truly making a difference.

But I don’t have to figure out the how or get stressed out when I don’t see the results of my labor—questioning every time whether I did what I was supposed to do. I can just relax and simply do as He directs. If I’m abiding in Christ, He will produce the lasting fruit from the works He has prepared for me to do (Eph 2:10). My role is to allow God to change my personhood to be more like Christ so that He can do the work through me.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Phil 2:12-13).

This new insight has been freeing for me! Instead of wasting effort worrying about if, when, and how I am accomplishing God’s call on my life, I can strive to just be the person God wants me to be—like His precious Son, available and usable at a moment’s notice.

Friends, I hope I have clearly explained this subtle but important difference. If not, please feel free to contact me for further explanation. Meanwhile, pray this with me:

Lord, I surrender all of who I am and do. Help me to abide in Christ so that He is the One doing the work, and therefore getting the glory. Teach me how to serve You out of my love for You more than out of wanting to feel significant.

Since this is such a repeated issue of mine, I have written about it in my award-winning allegory where plants come alive. I hope you will read how a puny rose who’s looking for significance finds it!

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Relevant Resources
Precious in His Sight: Seeing Yourself as God Does by Rose Noland
Is My Ministry Just a WASTE of Time and Effort?
Of Great Worth in the Gardener’s Eyes
3 Keys to Relaxing in the Craziness of Life