I’ve got some fire in my belly for these upcoming weeks. The inspiration that drives us can come from positive influences or seemingly negative circumstances .. but at the end of the day, if you have a story to tell, would you share it? Would you allow ANYTHING to shut you up? Light is meant to be put on a pedestal, not stuffed under a basket!
Over the past 4-5 months, and especially glaring me in the face today, is the question of identity. Here is my question: if you had NOTHING, who would you be? Take away your college degree. Take away your career. Take away the possessions, all the trappings you have. Take away your family relationships. If you had none of those things, or even ALL of those things, WHO WOULD YOU BE?
In our culture, we are so used to identifying ourselves – “Who are you?” “Well, I work as a such-and-such.” “I am a husband/wife/son/daughter/father/mother etc..” “I live in such-and-such place.” .. “I have a x-sq ft home and x acres of beautiful lakefront property.” But those answers, are they really WHO we are, or what we are doing, what family functions we are performing, what area we live in, and what we have?
I had a conversation with a good girlfriend of mine asking the same question. As many have been raised in a good Christian family-type atmosphere, logically, we know the answer, “I am a son/daughter of God. A child of God.”
MMkay, sounds good. We can spew that answer out but not REALLY be living from it.
Let me ask you – if something that you placed your identity in, let’s say, work, for this example, let you go today, what would you do?
Would you feel less about yourself?
You shouldn’t.
You’re a son or daughter of the Most High God, who has each and every detail of my life completely planned out and organized.
How can I say that? How can I say that “Everything will be all good?” Because I talk and walk with God, and He says that “ALL things work together for good for those who love God.”
How can I believe that, you may ask?
Because I love God and I walk with Him. He is my #1 support, my #1 everything. He is the reason I live and I try to live to the best of my ability. I am human, I still fall, but I long to follow His purposes for me to the best and fullest – because He knows the desires within my heart and I’ll explain more on desires in another post.
I may not always understand why some circumstances play out the way they do, but I know God, and I know that He is good, and I know that He has good plans for me, so I put my trust in Him. In the end, His way is best. Some things are within my control, and some things are not. Wisdom is talking with Him and listening when to do what and then seeking to understand why after the fact.
He will show us. He is faithful.
Today’s Dare: I dare you to talk with God. Whatever questions are on your heart or on your mind, take them to Him. I am convinced you will get answers, if not right away, then eventually. He wants to talk to each of us.
love you!
aubreyeicher 