Building Your Identity in Christ: 3 Ways to Stay Rooted in Your Faith

By Jenny Nanninga

The world tells women to discover who they are, pursue self-fulfillment, and put their identities in their looks, their work, and hundreds of other nebulous things. As women, we must root our identity in Christ so that the winds of the world’s doctrines can not pull us away from who we were truly meant to be in Him.

We must be intentional in staying grounded in our faith amidst the everyday realities of creating a career, nurturing friendships, and building a family. Here are a few tips for maintaining spiritual health while pursuing “worldly” goals.

Keep a Rooted Perspective

The world is full of voices and messages. Many of them seem deceptively wise or well-meaning but can do damage to our hearts and minds. Having a wise and clear perspective can help us filter through these messages from the truth. Sometimes, they may even seem true, but we must always remember the first true thing. For example, we may see pursuing a career as a worldly goal, yet God has asked us to be good stewards, to work hard, to be a light while we work, and to take dominion. These truths seem to support a career, yet what is our purpose in our career? This is where we must stake our identity in Christ. We can work because of the Lord, for the Lord, and like the Lord. This will ensure that our work is Christ-honoring and not taking over our identity.

This same principle can be applied to friends and family. Who is the giver of those good gifts? God? Why did He give them to us? For His glory. Then, we seek to glorify Him through those relationships. Thus, our identities as mothers, sisters, friends, and wives are now rooted in Christ. We must live our everyday lives out of a gospel and eternal perspective. This is where the secular becomes sacred and where the humdrum becomes holy. When we can see Christ in all we do, then all we do can be for him, and then all that we are becomes His.

Use a Rooted Source

The number one way to stay rooted in our faith in a world of mixed messages is to stay rooted in truth. The Bible is the only infallible source of truth. Yet, many times, it can confuse us. Reading God’s word, studying God’s word, listening to preaching on God’s word, and seeking counsel regarding God’s word can all be ways to maintain our identity in what is true. When truth is ever present in our minds, we can better spot the lies, and then we will not be tempted to believe them. Jonathan Edwards once declared, “Lord, stamp eternity on my eyeballs.” We all need to have this before us. By being steeped in God’s word and truth, we can maintain a correct understanding of our place in the world and our worth.

Check your sources and evaluate what has been speaking into your life. Are there social media accounts that seem helpful but aren’t aligned with scripture? Are the books you read theologically sound? Are the women whose advice you follow followers of Jesus? Are they doctrinally sound? Satan has used lies and deceit since the beginning of time to lead women away from their identity in Christ. If Eve could be tempted, so can we. Be aware of your sources. We want living water, not a poisoned well.

Grow Roots in the Proper Place (Transplant if Necessary)

Roots need fertile soil to grow. God knows the best ways for us to grow. Trusting His plan and guidance is always going to produce the most fruit in our lives. Take time to evaluate your life, your activities, your hobbies, your duties, your finances, your priorities, and more. Test them against God’s word and plan. If they don’t align, make a change. If you feel that your career is harming your marriage, then you may need to move your roots. If you feel that your focus on friends is harming your relationship with your kids, you may need to move your roots. If your hobbies are usurping your time with your husband, move those roots. Are you fertilizing the right areas? Are you investing adequately where you should be? Test your own life against scripture and see what changes need to be made. Adjust accordingly and trust God with the outcome. If this practice makes you uneasy and you are fearful of letting go of something, this may be God kindly showing you a misplaced identity. Remember to “count it all as loss” (Philippians 3:8).

The world will tell you to be whoever you want, to seek your truth, and to follow your dreams. As Christians, however, we are to be like Christ, to know the way and the truth, and to follow Jesus. This identity will help us to “laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25). You can remember who you are by remembering who you are.

In a culture that constantly pushes women to define themselves by fleeting standards, rooting your identity in Christ offers a firm foundation that will never shift. By keeping a gospel-centered perspective, drawing truth from God’s Word, and cultivating growth in the right places, you can stand strong in every season of life. Your worth is not determined by your achievements, appearance, or relationships—it is anchored in the unchanging love and purpose of your Creator.

When you live out of that truth, everything in your life—from your work to your family—becomes a reflection of who you are in Him. Stay rooted, stay grounded, and let your identity in Christ shape every part of your journey.