We live in a time when we are defined as disabled, bipolar, alcoholic, ADHD, victims of lupus, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and nearly everything else. Our condition easily becomes our primary reference point.

I am an insulin-dependent diabetic, but my disease doesn’t define me. I learn what’s necessary, take care of myself, and live. I shouldn’t become preoccupied with a disease any more than with a career, a hobby, possessions, or a retirement program. I want Jesus Christ first, and my family second, and then my church and ministry to define my life.

David Powlison, now with the Lord, wrote,

People will often express their care and concern by inquiring about your health. That’s good, but the conversation easily gets stuck there. So tell them openly about your sickness, seeking their prayers and counsel, but then change the direction of the conversation by telling them what your God is faithfully doing to sustain you with ten thousand mercies. Robert Murray McCheyne wisely said, “For every one look at your sins, take ten looks at Christ.” ...For every one sentence you say to others about your cancer, say ten sentences about your God, and your hope, and what he is teaching you, and the small blessings of each day. For every hour you spend researching or discussing your cancer, spend ten hours researching and discussing and serving your Lord.

We are to receive comfort from God and His people, and then we are to give that comfort to others. People who pour themselves into loving God and other people find their identity becomes clear. They rest in the fact that God has a purpose and plan for their lives, and they are here as God’s ambassadors and ministers to meet the needs of others. This is critical to our sense of identity. God, not suffering, should define who we are.