What's your identity in?

I'm a firm believer that the people who struggle to see the beauty and positive things that are all around us every day, the ones that easily get caught up in finding crisis and always seem to be focusing on what will go wrong rather than what can go right,... you know the "Negative Nelly's", the "Debbie Downers" and "grumblers."

I believe they all seem to have ONE major thing in common! They allow themselves to be a product of their circumstances and are easily affected by what others do and say. That one thing they all have in common?...IDENTITY! THIS WAS ME FOR A LONG TIME!

They don't seem to have a firm grasp on their own identity;... who they are, why they're here, or what they're supposed to be doing. Their Identity lies in what's going on around them. They are letting life happen to them and dictate their feelings, instead of them taking control and them being the ones who are happening to life!

So how do you find your Identity? For me, it was surrendering to God. Once I knew and understood that the all mighty creator was really for me and not against me! (My story is really long so I'll spare you that) but the petty things in life didn't seem to throw me off anymore. My wreck of a marriage got better because I wasn't seeking my wifes approval or my own selfish gain, but God's own heart, and what his word said a husband should do! My work was enjoyable, and my friends started to change, I became a present father to my children, and I started to attract more positive people into my life because I was a more positive person! I knew that no matter what happened in life that God was in control, he had a plan and a purpose, all I had to do my part with what I could control, like my thoughts and actions!

Everything changed for the better. I found my IDENTITY in God and not in man, or my job, uniform, title, approval, or circumstances. I had the FREEDOM to choose happiness and freedom in Jesus each day to go out and be better, not bitter!

Now I'm not going to shove Jesus on you but if you've never searched for him and the answers yourself...YOU SHOULD!