Who Are You Telling Yourself You Are? Realigning Our Identity in the Work

Brothers and sisters, have you ever stopped in the middle of the day—maybe after a tough missionary discussion, or right before you're about to make a choice about your time, or even just looking in the mirror—and wondered, “Why do I do what I do?”

It’s a question that can feel heavy, like trying to map the currents of the Spirit. We know we want to be better. We know the gospel calls us to a higher standard, to be more Christlike in every facet of our lives. We read the manuals, we attend the talks, we study the scriptures, and we feel that deep, burning desire to change.

But then comes the pattern. The snooze button. The quick, easy choice at the restaurant instead of the nourishing one. The way we spend our time or our resources. It’s frustrating, isn't it? Knowing the path, but stumbling back to the familiar groove.

Recently, I was pondering this with some of my fellow disciples, and it brought to mind a powerful concept: the difference between *doing* and *being*. We often focus so much on the 'doing'—the action, the effort, the next conversion—that we forget the 'being' that underpins it all.

The Layers of Our Choices

The speaker we watched today laid out some secondary reasons why we repeat patterns. We do things because we feel obligated—to our parents, to our job, even to what we think "good disciples" do. We do things because we genuinely *want* to—because we want to please the Lord or because we want to feel disciplined. And then there’s the third one, the one that hits close to home for all of us:

• The Desire to Be Liked: We act in ways that build an image—an image of the perfect disciple, the perfect family member, the perfect member of the ward. We curate our lives for the likes, for the praise, for acceptance.

But then came the pivot, the heart of the matter, and it felt like a gentle nudge from the Spirit: the primary reason we behave consistently is because of what we think of ourselves. Our identity, our internal narrative, is the engine driving our actions.

This isn't meant to be a condemnation, dear friends. It’s an invitation to deeper discipleship. It’s an invitation to look past the superficial actions and ask the deeper question: Who do I think I am?

The scriptures echo this truth. Proverb 23:7 reminds us, “For as he thinks in his heart, so he is.” If we are going to be effective Internet missionaries, if we are going to build Zion right where we are—whether that’s in our living rooms, our workplaces, or in the digital spaces of Sovereign.ink—we must first align our internal self-perception with the glorious identity Christ has already given us.

This idea—that changing our internal story changes our external actions—is so vital for any returned missionary trying to transition back into the field, or for any lifelong disciple feeling stuck in a rut. We are called to be prophets, and prophets must first believe the gospel truth about themselves.

If you’re ready to dig into this, I highly recommend checking out the latest insights in the Social Scripture Study feed in LivingBook. We’ve been discussing how our self-talk impacts our covenants, and it’s been a powerful reminder that the gospel work starts at home, in our minds.

For those who are feeling the tug of the Spirit toward deeper study, I wanted to mention that the principles discussed here—the power to change—are central to what I’m working on for an upcoming book. It’s all about aligning our habits with the Spirit of the living prophets. Keep those questions coming, keep studying, and remember that every member can be a disciple anywhere, all the time.

If this resonated with you, let’s talk more! I’d love to see you at our next virtual gathering. If you’re looking for a focused study group, check out the Book Club listings in HolyPlaces. And if you want to practice wrestling with these big questions before we meet, I invite you to bring your toughest questions to Davee—our AI Investigator—and let him walk you through how to answer them with the Spirit’s guidance.