Peace family, so much unrest in our culture is directly related to our identities. Do you really believe that you can trust God’s perspective about our personal identities and value?
I don’t know what all of the factors are that made us so broken and chaotic in our identities and self-value during this generation, but if you think about it, most of our country’s embroiling fights right now have to deal with identity.
We stretch ourselves thin trying to make a mention of everyone and make everyone feel included, or we express outrage towards instances where people have failed to include everyone. So many issues and arguments are about us trying to “find ourselves” and “follow our hearts” and prove that the self we have chosen is worthy of everyone else’s admiration and attention. We are always dividing ourselves and others into groups; do the other people match or not match me sexually, racially, financially, politically, fashion-wise, age-wise, and so on? Meanwhile, we put so much effort into trying to prove our personal value apart from God. It is exhausting!
Peace family, we need to start turning back to God for our identity. No matter how many things you have in common with someone, he or she will never fully understand you. We will never achieve the feeling of “home” and full acceptance that we are longing for without Christ, no matter how many people validate us. Sure, we might feel more accepted and included in some groups than in others, but I think the deep connection that so many of us are starving for, is actually a craving for God. When we don’t consider God as a solution, no wonder we inflict damage on others and ourselves!
Peace family, God loves you. He loves you, personally. You don’t have to try so hard to prove yourself and your value. You are already valuable. When God is for you, what does it matter what other people think of or do to you? Only his opinion of you is lasting. He has set out wise guidelines in the Bible that help to remove some of the chaos and garbage from our lives, and we can rest in our value to him. When our perspectives are warped by the time and society in which we live, we can still trust that God knows best. We can rest in our belonging to him, and the home that he offers us in a friendship with him.
If you feel confused about your value today, trust God. If you feel confused about your self, your niche, or what group you belong to, trust God. Trust God and obey him, and know that He loves you more than anyone else can love you. He will take care of you. My prayer for you today, is that you might be comforted and given God’s perspective for your life.
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