You wake up one day in a hospital room, disoriented, scared, and in pain. As you focus your eyes and your thoughts, you tune in to a doctor telling you about an accident that caused your brain to swell.
This makes no sense to you, just as the concerned looks of the rest of the people in the room… people you don’t know. Somehow, they seem to know you.
You spend the following two weeks in the hospital with a team of doctors to help you recover physically. The same two weeks, those same strangers in your room try to help you recover your memory.
It just isn’t there. At least the past decade.
A decade of pivotal years in a person’s life. The years that compound onto childhood and create who you are today.
The Core Question: Who Are We Without Our Memories?
This scenario raises a profound question: *Do our decisions and experiences make us who we are, or is there something deeper that defines us?*
Suppose you don’t remember those past ten years—the trials, the celebrations, the people, the decisions. Are you still the person that those ten years created? Which years, memories, or life stories truly shape who we are today?
The answer to this question lies at the heart of the eternal tug-of-war between head and heart. While our memories and experiences certainly shape our understanding of who we are, I believe that our true identity is rooted in something deeper—our heart, as it was designed by God.
The Head vs. Heart Dilemma: What Truly Defines Us?
When I consider such a predicament, what comes to mind is this ongoing battle between the head and the heart.
My head no longer remembers. In the short run, it would seem your heart would follow. After all:
- How do you know you love someone if you don’t even remember them?
- Would you still be passionate about your work if you don’t remember learning the craft?
- Would you have to fall in love with your spouse all over again, and is it possible you wouldn’t?
Yet, I believe our true self is not entirely dependent on what our head remembers. While our head informs our heart in many ways, it is ultimately our heart—our soul—that holds the essence of who we are. And I believe that our heart belongs to God. Before birth, God knows the number of hairs on our heads and who we will become. Memory or no memory, we are predisposed to become the person we were created to be.
The Role of Faith in Our Identity: A Divine Perspective
With an “It’s a Wonderful Life” do-over, there’s always the chance that we will continue to evolve into the person we want to be today and tomorrow. But I firmly believe it is the same person God always knew we would become anyway.
- I would find my way back to my Savior.
- I would be pulled to pick up a paintbrush again and splash color on canvas.
- And yes, if my husband gave me the time and patience, I would fall in love with him all over again.
This is because God created us with a purpose and a design that transcends our memories and experiences. Our identity is more than a collection of past events—it is the person we are in our heart and soul, as created by God.
Moving Forward: Embracing Our God-Given Identity
The point is that we don’t need a divine do-over to discover who we are. We are who we are because God created us that way, not because we have specific memories of specific experiences.
When we do have our memories, they give us more information and evidence to inform our future. But the same person today, as it was a decade ago, is making the decisions that will create our tomorrow self. We can start at the beginning or pick up anytime to become the best version of ourselves.
This is very liberating to me. Even if you are having a bad week, month, or year, we still have tomorrow, the next day, and all of the future days until Jesus brings us home.
Applying This to Our Amnesia-Free Lives: Living Out Our True Identity
If we haven’t been our best version of ourselves, we aren’t stuck with this “me.” We can start from here and lean into who we want to be from now until eternity:
- Focus on our relationship with the Lord to learn and hear from Him who we were created to be.
- Lean into our relationships, interests, crafts, and vocation. Do all to glorify God, and we will grow in heart and in mind.
- Learn from the past, but don’t stay in the past at the expense of missing what God has for you tomorrow.
- Trust that who God created you to be is the you that you are in your heart and soul, regardless of memories. Embrace yourself, knowing that God doesn’t make mistakes.
Ultimately, it is our hearts that will lead us to the person God created us to be. We don’t need a cold dose of amnesia to grasp the fact that our true identity is shaped by our hearts and that we can use our heads to help us down the path. But regardless, our hearts will always guide us to the person God designed us to be.
Conclusion: Who Are You Truly?
So, what do you think? Are you who you are regardless of whether you remember your life or not? Do you believe that our head informs who we become, or is it our heart?
Who would you be if you were the best version of yourself? Do you believe you are the best person to lead you there?
A Call to Action: Discover and Embrace Your True Self
I encourage you to take some time to reflect on these questions. Consider setting aside a few moments each day to journal and pray.
Journal: Write down your thoughts on who you believe you truly are beyond your memories and experiences. Explore how your heart guides you in your daily life. Ask yourself: What passions, relationships, and values are at the core of my being? How do these reflect the person God created me to be?
Pray: Spend time in prayer, asking God to reveal His design for your life. Seek His guidance in understanding your true identity, independent of past events or memories. Ask Him to show you how to lean into the person He created you to be.
By engaging in these practices, you can deepen your understanding of your true self, as defined by your heart and soul and not merely by the experiences you’ve had. Embrace the freedom that comes with knowing that, regardless of your past, you can start from where you are today and grow into the best version of yourself—the person God always intended you to be.
Remember, your heart will always lead you back to the person God created you to be. Trust in His guidance as you look to the future, becoming the person you were always meant to be.
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