WHY IT MATTERS
Knowing who you are and what you stand for will
help you to make wise decisions when you are
under pressure.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Imagine this scenario: Karen is at a party for no
more than ten minutes when she hears a familiar
voice behind her.
“Why are you just standing there?”
Karen turns to see her friend Jessica clutching
two freshly opened bottles. She can tell that
they contain alcohol. Jessica holds one bottle
right in front of Karen’s face and says, “You’re
not too young to have a little fun, are you?”
Karen wants to refuse, but Jessica is her friend.
And Karen doesn’t want her friend to think she is
boring. Besides, Jessica is one of the good girls.
And if she’s drinking, then it must not be so bad.
‘It’s just a drink,’ Karen tells herself. ‘It’s not like
taking drugs.’
If you were in Karen’s situation, what would you
do?
STOP AND THINK!
To make a wise decision in this type of situation,
you need an identity. An identity is an inner
sense that tells you who you are and what you
stand for. Armed with that knowledge, you’re
empowered to control your life instead of letting
others control it for you.— 1 Corinthians 9:26, 27 .
How can you develop that kind of strength?
Answering the following questions is a good
start.
1 WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS?
Knowing your abilities and positive traits will
boost your confidence.
BIBLE EXAMPLE: The apostle Paul wrote: “Even
if I am unskilled in speech, I certainly am not in
knowledge.” ( 2 Corinthians 11:6 ) With his
thorough grasp of the Scriptures, Paul was able
to remain firm when others challenged him. He
didn’t let their negative remarks weaken his
confidence.— 2 Corinthians 10:10; 11:5 .
ANALYZE YOURSELF: Write down a talent or a
skill that you possess.
Now describe a strong quality that you have. (For
example, are you caring? generous? dependable?
punctual?)
2 WHAT ARE MY WEAKNESSES?
Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest
link, your identity can quickly change for the
worse if you let your weaknesses control your
life.
BIBLE EXAMPLE: Paul was aware of his
weaknesses. He wrote: “I really delight in the law
of God according to the man I am within, but I
see in my body another law warring against the
law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s
law.”— Romans 7:22, 23 .
ANALYZE YOURSELF: What weakness do you
need to learn to control?
3 WHAT ARE MY GOALS?
Would you get into a taxi and tell the driver to
circle the block repeatedly until his car ran out
of fuel? That would be foolish—and costly!
The lesson? Goals give your life direction and
keep you from going in circles. You have
somewhere to go and a plan of how to get there.
BIBLE EXAMPLE: Paul wrote: “The way I am
running is not aimlessly.” ( 1 Corinthians 9:26 )
Rather than drift through life letting things
happen to him, Paul set goals and then lived in
accord with them.— Philippians 3:12-14 .
ANALYZE YOURSELF: Write down three goals
that you would like to reach within the next year.
4 WHAT ARE MY CONVICTIONS?
Without convictions,
you’ll be indecisive. Like
a chameleon, you’ll
change colors to blend
in with your peers—a
sure sign that you don’t
have your own identity.
In contrast, when your
actions are based on
your convictions, you
maintain your identity—
regardless of what
others do.
BIBLE EXAMPLE: While likely still a teenager, the
prophet Daniel “resolved in his heart” that he
would obey God’s laws, even though he was
separated from his family. ( Daniel 1:8 ) By doing
so, he stayed true to himself. Daniel lived
according to his convictions.
ANALYZE YOURSELF: What are your convictions?
For example: Do you believe in God? If so, why?
What evidence convinces you of his existence?
Do you believe that God’s moral standards are
for your own good? If so, why?
In the end, which would you rather be like—a
fallen leaf that gets blown around by every mild
breeze or a tree that withstands even powerful
storms? Strengthen your identity, and you’ll be
like that tree. And that will help you answer the
question, Who am I?
ACTION PLAN
Look at the three goals you identified
under question 3. Now write down one
step you can take this month toward
meeting each goal.
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