IDENTITY ILLUSION

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

Today:

“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God.

This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” ― Brennan Manning

 

Who are you really?

What defines you this morning?

 

Does your work?

Do your title or achievements seek to define you?

 

How about your education?

Do the letters preceding or following your name define you?

 

What about social status? The neighborhood you reside? You’re alliances? What about “your network”?

 

Now before we go too far, there is nothing wrong with achievement, alliances or working hard to get smarter or move higher if those things are kept in proper perspective.

 

I have had many friends who allowed their identities to be shaped by whether the BMW they drove was a “3” series, which meant one thing versus a “7” series which defined them as something more, something better. That is a little dysfunctional an "illusion" don’t you think?

My new friend Darryl Strawberry, Former Major League All-Star and World Champion struggled for years to find his identity.  He tried “stuff”, he tried baseball, he tried fame and at the end of the day it wasn’t until HE defined HIMSELF as RADICALLY loved by GOD did life CHANGE for him.  He went from radically lost to radically loved and now shares that hope with the world.

 

Yet sadly, I work almost daily with many folks whose hard lives and circumstances have caused them to define themselves as:

Loser.

Failed parent.

Addict.

Mistake.

Damaged goods.

Unlovable.

 

Who we perceive ourselves to be, our identity, is so vitally important to a healthy and joyful life.  It is why GOD spent a TON of time and space on the pages of his WORD helping us to REMEMBER who we really are.

 

…alive with Christ. (Ephesians 2:5)

…born of God and the evil one does not touch him. (1 John 5:18)

…holy and without blame before Him in love. (1 Peter 1:16)

…God’s child – for he is born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God,     which lives And abides in him forever. (1 Peter 1:23)

…God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works. (Ephesians 2:10)

…a partaker of His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) (I especially like that one!)

…the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

…His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and long-suffering. (Romans 8:33;     Colossians 3:12)

 

I could go on. 

I could also mention the myriad of times GOD tells us how LOVED we are, but I will encourage you to do that.

 

The point of today’s little thought is clear I hope.

 

Start today with a CLEAR understanding of “who and whose you are IN CHRIST”.

 

Cherish it.

Abide in it.

Appreciate it.

 

And if and when all of those other identifiers start creeping back in; “error, vagrant, alcoholic, un-fixable”, you remember the truth.

 

“Our identity rests in God's relentless tenderness for us revealed in Jesus Christ.” ― Brennan Manning

 

 

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE