Caught Between Two Worlds
Finding Rest in Your Identity in Christ (Series Part 1 of 6)
Do you ever feel caught between who you know you are in Christ and who the world tells you to be?
Caught Between Two Worlds
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
The sun hangs low, casting long shadows as she walks down a familiar street. It’s a route she’s taken countless times—passing shops, weaving through the stream of people. But today, each step feels like she's wading through water, the weight of unseen burdens slowing her down.
The bag slung over her shoulder reminds her of what she’s supposed to be—the one who always has it together. Inside, a notebook bulges with to-do lists, reminders, and plans she’s meant to follow—a tool for control, for getting things right. She adjusts the strap, pulling the weight higher on her shoulder, as though that’ll make it easier to bear.
At a crosswalk, she pauses, fishing her phone from her bag. She scrolls through the waiting notifications, images, and messages, stopping at a picture of a woman she knows. Her thumb hovers over the photo of her family captured in a perfect moment. A familiar ache surfaces, a quiet whisper questioning her own path. She drops the phone back into her purse, as if hiding the comparisons that follow her everywhere. The light changes, and she moves forward, though the unease lingers.
Her wrist vibrates—a buzz from her smartwatch reminding her of goals she’s supposed to meet—another box to check off. She glances down at it, the band feeling tighter than usual, almost suffocating. The constant alerts sync with a tension she can't quite name, an undercurrent pulling at her peace. She stops in front of a park bench, slips off the watch, tucking it into her bag next to her phone, silencing both the buzz and the internal pressure. She takes a seat on the bench, staring out at the world as the weight of everything begins to fall away.
She takes a breath, rising from the bench, feeling lighter but not entirely free. The quiet walk home offers space to think, the pace slow, unhurried. As her keys slide into the door, a soft relief settles in—a sense that here, she can finally begin to let go.
As she enters, she kicks off her shoes by the entrance, leaving behind the miles of expectations she’s walked today. The house greets her with a soft hum—not a perfect sanctuary, but for tonight, a place where she can finally set the weight down.
In the bathroom, she flicks on the light and catches a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. The mask she wears—the smiling, agreeable version of herself—stares back. She relaxes her face. For a moment, she lets herself see the weariness in her own eyes. The tension between who she is and who she's expected to be is etched in every line.
Slowly, she begins to shed the layers. Her jacket slips to the floor, followed by the bag that’s weighed her down all day—laden with expectations she never chose to carry. She runs her fingers over her bare wrist, feeling the lightness where the watch used to sit, a small reminder of the weight she’s slowly shedding.
The water runs, filling the tub, steam rising in soft tendrils. She removes the last pieces of her day—the clothes that helped her play her part. Each article of clothing falls away, leaving her bare.
She steps into the warm water, letting it rise around her, washing over her skin. The warmth feels like grace, an invitation to rest, to stop striving. She isn’t defined by her productivity, her appearance, or her ability to keep up with the world. As she sinks deeper into the bath, she recalls her baptism—that sacred moment everything shifted, when she was cleansed, made new, and marked as His.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me," she quietly speaks the verse aloud, one she tucked in her heart years ago (Galatians 2:20, NIV).
In the stillness of the water, she finds herself as she truly is—no roles, no masks, no expectations. Just her and God, with nothing in between. She breathes deeply, the tension melting away as she recalls His words: “It is finished” (John 19:30). In this quiet moment, she knows she is free from the world’s pull, fully held in Jesus’ embrace.
We’ve All Feel the Tension
The struggle between embracing our true identity in Christ and the pressures of society is real. Under the push to perform , it's easy to lose sight of who we are. The world tells us to hustle, to achieve, to conform to its ever-changing standards.
But as Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." This is where we begin to reclaim our true identity in Christ, free from the exhausting chase of societal expectations. This renewal isn't just a one-time event but a daily invitation to reorient our heart toward Christ, letting go of the world’s demands.
In Shifts Happen, we've been exploring what it means to let go of unhealthy roles that hinder our spiritual growth. In Trusting God’s Plan When Letting Go Feels Hard, we walked through the challenging process of release. In When Silence Hurts, we examined the tension between speaking up and holding back. Last week’s post, Nobody Seeks a Codependent Church… Or Do They?, delved into unhealthy dynamics within faith communities that can pull us away from God's truth.
Now, as we move forward, we're deepening our focus on what it means to fully embrace our identity in Christ. Over the next five weeks, we'll shed the layers that obscure our true selves, confront the lies we've internalized, and experience the transformative power of renewing our minds in God's truth. Together, we'll explore how embracing our identity in Christ brings freedom and lifts the burdens we've been carrying.
Let's take a moment this week to reflect:
How does Romans 12:2 speak to the areas of my life where I feel disconnected from my true identity?
What roles, responsibilities, or expectations have I been carrying that don’t reflect my identity in Christ?
How have comparisons or societal pressures distorted my view of myself, as Psalm 139:13-14 reminds me of God's intentional creation of my being?
What truths does God speak over me that I need to embrace?
Resources for Your Journey
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero—Break free from unhealthy patterns and live from a place of spiritual health.
Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You—An article that explores how to embrace your identity in Christ.
Scriptures for Reflection:
Good News
Because of Jesus, you don’t have to be anyone but who He created you to be—loved, accepted, and enough in Him.
Looking Ahead
This is Part 1 of the 6-part series, Caught Between Two Worlds.
Caught Between Two Worlds: Finding Rest in Your Identity in Christ
Shedding What Doesn’t Last: Embracing Your True Identity in Christ
The Metamorphosis of Your Mind: Surrendering to the Spirit's Work in Shaping Your Identity
Walking in the Freedom of Christ: Your Identity Beyond Circumstance
Living Fully Rooted in Christ: Flourishing in Your New Identity