CassieGood Monday!
I’m so excited to be linking up with #LMMLinkUp for Literacy Musing Monday with Mary-andering Creatively.
And I’m talking about identity. Because, whether we realize it or not, we daily give our identity into the hands of someone or something.
A few short months ago, I had a scary realization that I was living out an identity that I didn’t actually want to live out of. In other words, my most deeply held convictions were not in line with my behaviours.
You see, the lie wasn’t, “You must remain healthy.” The lie was specifically, “You must not weigh more than a maximum of __.”
It took awhile for this realization to actually terrify me enough to surrender my identity, but when I did, more purpose than I could ever have fathomed revealed itself to me.
Allow me to backtrack. As I do, I pray that you would reflect on your own life, and how your convictions and beliefs align or conflict with your behaviours.
Example One: I believed in accordance with heaven that my worth comes from my Creator, and my purpose is in Him, and not in my shape or size.
I acted in accordance with the world, by looking up the heights/weights/measurements of fitness models and compared them to my own in order to “make sure mine were acceptable.”
Example Two: I believed in accordance with heaven that prayer is an incredibly important part of every person’s life, and that intimacy with Jesus should guide my every step. He is, after all, my purpose.
I acted in accordance with the world, sometimes assuming God’s answer before asking Him my questions, sometimes rushing through prayer as though it’s a scheduled little time in my day that I need to “check off.”
Example Three: I believed in accordance with heaven that I should schedule my time in order to be productive, to ensure that I don’t forget any of my responsibilities, and to be respectful of others’ time.
I acted often in neglecting to take the time to plan, ensure that I was clear on my to-dos, and fill in the most important parts of my planner.
Looking at these, and many other, conflicting beliefs and actions in my life, I realized something HUGE that linked to every last misguided action…
Self-autonomy.
Self-belief, selfishness, and self-importance are all opposites of the person hidden in Christ Jesus. The person who knows that nothing can stop the Lord from accomplishing His purposes, so our striving must cease in order for His will to be done. The person who knows that every good, lasting, eternal thing is from and of the Holy Spirit. The person who knows that God humbles us in order that we might understand our need for Him.
From self-automated to God-operated. What FREEDOM.
This is the life that Jesus calls us to live. Free of jealousy because pride in “me” is at its root. Free of evil intent because Jesus’ intentions are only for good. Free of selfishness and insecurity because to be insecure means to be unrooted in Jesus and fixed on self – and “self” is an overwhelmingly fleeting, short-lived being.
The person whose life is hidden in Christ has no need for insecurity, for they can only boast in their weaknesses to proclaim Christ’s strength.
So, Reader, tell me… does what you believe line up with the way that you live?
