As We Are
Life, I'm learning, is a series of journeys that bring us closer to the revelation of who we are. We're always looking for purpose. We're always looking for identity. Our hearts ache to discover who we really are and what our purpose really is.
Identity. Purpose. These are powerful words that can be found in all the wrong places. We can find our short-term identity and purpose in plenty of things. In jobs. In activities. In friends and family and other people and our daily to-do list.
From Developing Your Destiny by Graham Cooke, he said, "We can approach Jesus as much loved children because that's who we are. We are always in between being a much loved child and a fully mature son or daughter."
Our relationship with the Father can be boiled down to this simple fact: We are much loved, just as we are now.
We can always rely on His love. Even when we don't think we deserve it, or even when we feel unlovable.
There are 3 strands to our identity: fully known, fully accepted, and fully loved. We are never outside of the bounds of His love because love is His nature. When we understand that love is who He is, we can begin to accept the grace and mercy and goodness He's placed in our lives for us. Identity is the first step to becoming a warrior. It is the springboard we can use to dive into exploring who we are as image-bearers of the Father.
Identity shapes our worldview but also determines how we think about ourselves. When we live into being much loved children of the King, we are no longer focused on making our circumstances the fault of other people around us. We no longer say things like, "Bad things always seem to happen to me!" Quite frankly, we stop treating ourselves like victims and we step into the fullness of what He has for us. We choose to look for His goodness in the situations that are overwhelming and scary and aren't going how we think they should.
Before we were even a dream on earth, all of our days and personalities were planned by a loving Creator. Before we were accepted by our friends and family, we were fully accepted by Him. And even now, as we learn more about who we are and what it means to be shaped in His image, we are fully known in the deepest of ways by the Father. He knows us better than we know ourselves because He knows our original design-- He knows our destinies. The Father knows what He's had in mind for you long before you took your first breath.
Fully known. Fully accepted. Fully loved.
I'm headed to the Dominican Republic in March on a mission trip! Would you pray about supporting me? You can donate here.
Between the Shadow and the Soul: Blogging through the journey.