At least 18 times in the Bible, Jesus said, “I am”—and then gave a description. He described himself as the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. Over and over, he defined himself. Jesus knew who he was (and still is) and, as a result, he was not under pressure.

Jesus understood his identity—and it’s crucial that you understand yours too.

When you’re unsure about your identity, you’ll be pressured to fit into other people’s molds. They will try to make you what they think you should be, rather than who God made you to be.

Stress comes from trying to be somebody you’re not—when you fear you’ll accidentally drop your façade and people will discover who you really are.

The way to counterbalance external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about who God made you to be. You discover who you are by knowing whose you are.

The Bible says you were created by God. You are deeply loved by him. You are accepted as you are. He has a plan for your life. When you understand this, you’ll find yourself free to serve other people.

Jesus constantly did things that surprised everyone else—because he was free; he felt no pressure to meet people’s expectations. He chose to serve others, regardless of how it might be perceived. He washed his disciples’ feet—something they were too insecure to do for each other. Jesus always served from a position of strength. He knew who and whose he was.

Do you want to live in the same freedom Jesus did? Find security in knowing that you are a dearly loved and accepted child of God. There’s no need to pretend to be anyone else.