Good Morning Friends,
Tomorrow’s Fourth of July celebrations always invite reflection, not just on our nation, but on the many identities we carry. As I look honestly at my own life, it becomes clear that unless Christ heals my wounds, I cannot fully become the person God intends. And so, one question rises above the rest: Are Doubts Getting In the Way of Us Having Our Primary Identity in Christ?
Scripture Summaries
Ephesians 2:19–22 Paul reminds believers that in Christ we are no longer outsiders. We are citizens of God’s kingdom and members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles with Christ Himself as the cornerstone. God is forming us into a living temple where His Spirit dwells.
John 20:24–29 Thomas refuses to believe the resurrection without seeing Jesus’ wounds. Jesus meets him in grace, offering His hands and side. Thomas responds with worship, and Jesus blesses those who believe without seeing.
Ezekiel 2:2–5 God sends Ezekiel to a stubborn, rebellious people. Whether they listen or not, they will know a prophet has been among them.
2 Corinthians 12:7–10 Paul speaks of his “thorn in the flesh.” God does not remove it but declares, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul learns to embrace weakness so Christ’s strength may rest upon him.
Mark 6:1–6a Jesus returns to Nazareth, but His own people reject Him. Their unbelief limits what He does among them, yet He continues teaching elsewhere.
Message: If Christ is not our primary identity, something else inevitably becomes our defining center. And whatever that “something else” is, inevitably cannot bear the weight. We often say our identity is in Christ, yet we let other roles, those of parent, spouse, worker, citizen, take priority. Paul insists that believers have undergone a transfer of allegiance. We belong to a kingdom more enduring than Rome, more secure than any earthly nation, and more life‑giving than any personal achievement. This kingdom is built on the resurrected Christ, whose risen presence breaks through locked doors, hardened hearts, and old patterns.But doubts often cloud this identity. Thomas’s story shows that doubt is not the enemy of faith, unwillingness to bring our wounds to Jesus is. Thomas fixates on Jesus’ wounds because he is wrestling with his own. In touching Christ’s scars, he is really asking Christ to touch his. Many of us do the same. We cling to our hurts, the physical, emotional, spiritual pains, until they become our identity. Yet Christ invites us to let His wounds heal ours. Here weakness, rebellion, unbelief are not barriers to Christ’s work but the very places His grace becomes visible. Healing begins when we stop identifying ourselves with our own wounds and start identifying ourselves by His.
And So, today, be confident: placing your identity in Christ produces things of eternal value. It frees you to become more like Him, to live with peace, humility, and courage, and to join a kingdom where every citizen is being healed and made whole.
Pray to know your weakness and God’s strength. Pray for humility, honesty, and healing. Pray to welcome Christ, wounds and all, into your life. Pray to discover grace even when healing is slow. Pray to see God’s kingdom and to live as its citizen. Pray to encounter the Risen Christ and to find your identity in Him alone.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 