Identity Quote by John Ortberg
““The soul without a center finds its identity in externals. My temptation when my soul is not centered in God is to try to control my life. In the Bible this is spoken of in terms of the lifting up of one’s soul. The prophet Habakkuk said that the opposite of living in faithful dependence on God is to lift your soul up in pride. The psalmist says that the person who can live in God’s presence is the one who has not lifted their soul up to an idol. When my soul is not centered in God, I define myself by my accomplishments, or my physical appearance, or my title, or my important friends. When I lose these, I lose my identity.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Soul Keeping, 2010
A soul lacking divine focus seeks identity in external achievements, leading to pride and loss of self when those vanish.
In simple terms: Without God, we chase status and lose ourselves.
Key Takeaway
Center your soul in God.
Themes
spirituality
identity
pride
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
theological
personal
When to use this quote
- personal crises
- career setbacks
- relationship breakdowns
- public speaking
Key Concepts
theology
self‑concept
humility
Questions to Reflect On
- What anchors your identity?
- How do you recognize pride?
A Different Perspective
Reliance on external validation can be motivating for some.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
