Well, the holidays have passed, and many of you will have returned to your regular routine by today. You may return to your office to find an inbox full of messages from folks who require your assistance. There may even be a desire to become overwhelmed and frustrated at the start of the year. If you’re feeling this way, please remember one thing: you are not what you do. Even if you’re still on vacation and haven’t yet returned to the grind, I encourage you to think about this crucial concept.

Many people who grew up in religious households are shocked to learn that they are not what they do. In fact, I was asked to speak at the Staples Center at an event hosted by a very large and important church, and one of the pastors told me before I went on stage that I couldn’t tell the audience that they aren’t what they do. This provided me with an opportunity to clarify what I mean when I say that. In other words, not being what you do means that you are saved by grace rather than by works. When the Apostle Paul first wrote those words, he did it in plain language that his reader might understand. This is how the Bible’s truth should be expressed. It’s easy to become buried in heavy, theological rhetoric when we say things like “by grace and not works,” and the thought doesn’t travel from our heads to our emotions.

Friend, I urgently want you to accept this fact and live it every day — you are not what you do, but you will accomplish amazing things! Yes, the things you do are important and contribute to the legacy God has given you, but they do not define you. The person of Jesus Christ is the source of your worth; He is your identity and the source of all your successes. He has called you to make a difference in the world, but you must first and foremost rest in Him, as strange as it may sound. Relax in His sufficiency and know that He is happy with you now and always. He loves you just the way you are because you are His treasured child. Isn’t that fantastic?