IDENTITY CRUNCH
By Tracy Hanson

As a professional golfer, I am constantly being evaluated by my performance. Where do I stand on the money list? Have I won? When am I going to win? The questions are endless. There are no guarantees on tour.

At the beginning of each season, I start at ground zero and compete against the best in the world for my livelihood. In the midst of the successes and failures throughout the year, I experience many emotions—happiness, sadness, excitement, anger, confidence, lack of confidence, and so on. However, despite the uncertainty of my job, I still experience peace and joy in my life because I find my worth and value in my relationship with Jesus Christ, not in my performance.

The Word of God says that "as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6), and "in Him you have been made complete" (Colossians 2:10). I'm not made complete if I shoot a 64 and win a tournament. I am made complete in Christ.

I struggled more this year than any other. Although I feel I worked hard on my game, my results were inconsistent. As the end of the season approached, and I was on the bubble to maintain my exempt status for next season. I came face to face with my identity. Would my life fall apart if I didn't reach  my goal? No! Regardless of the outcome, I will look to each new day with peace and joy that only comes from being a child of God.

Professional golfer, Chief Executive Officer, teacher, housewife and mother, banker, student, salesperson, missionary, jobless—these are all "labels" in respect to what a person does. However, God doesn't label us for what we do, but for who we are. He loves all of us, whether we make a million dollars or just one. He wants us to experience His peace and joy in our life in the chaos of this world.

Are you finding your identity in your performance at work or at home? God wants you to find your identity in Christ!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

This story originally appeared in the Links Letter, December 2000.

TRACY HANSON

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