I’ve been thinking a lot lately about priorities–mainly because it’s been my January theme on social media and I’ve created several posts about it.

But, it turns out that priorities are showing up everywhere I turn and God has been revealing some new insights about where to start when it comes to re-orienting our priorities.

When I think of priorities, I think of time and money. Take a look at those 2 and you’ll know where people (and yourself) place their priorities.

So, it would seem obvious that if you want to change your priorities you need to change where you spend your time and money. But I don’t think that’s the answer at least not the complete answer. I think it addresses a symptom but doesn’t address the root of our priorities.

What if your priorities are the natural overflow of your identity?

I had a young woman ask me this week, “any advice for the single girl in the church? ☺️

I responded:

“Oh sweet girl, yes! I’d say to be careful as identifying yourself as a single girl. Single girl, single mom, pastor’s wife, military spouse, widow, diabetic, cancer survivor, republican, democrat, and on and on and on. I’m not trying to over-simplify it but they are all just labels and we ALL have one. The trick is to make sure we don’t find too much identity in those labels. Because the enemy allows those labels to separate us from each other and feel like we are more different than alike.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.–Galatians 3:28

I’m not trying to change the subject in the middle of writing about priorities even if it feels like I am. Stick with me just a little longer.

Our priorities come from where we find our identity. It’s easy to find our identity in our status (like single, divorced, or married) or struggles (like financial or health) or a position (like mom or wife) or a category (like military or education). It’s easy to put labels on ourselves that, though, they may be true should NEVER define a follower of Jesus.

So, here is the ONE question: Who are you?

Pause. Really answer that question. What pops in your brain first?

You may be a lot of things, but if you don’t FIRST identify as a follower of Jesus, you can rearrange schedule and your spending to reflect the godly priorities but you’ll continue to struggle to keep them in check.

Priorities are important because they indicate what we value. Do you see yourself as a valuable part of God’s Kingdom purposes? Do you identify as a kingdom player?

If you’re a follower of Jesus but you feel like your schedule or your spending (or both) are all out of whack, lean in a little further, dig a little deeper. Begin to embrace who you are as a child of God, a vital part of God’s Kingdom plan and purpose and then take a look at your priorities and adjust according to your identity in Christ!

And if you feel like you aren’t truly identifying FIRST as a follower of Jesus and a Kingdom player, remember the most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do.

My daddy always used to say “if you don’t feel like doing the right thing, do the right thing and let your feelings catch up.”

Don’t be defeated about not having all the pieces in place all at the same time. Start today in faith and begin to shift your priorities to align with a Jesus-follower FIRST and then do it again tomorrow. God has a way of taking our little choices and turning them into significant life change.