(Going to be honest…continue reading only if you’d like to hear it.)
I recently found myself in the place of almost being obsessed with a certain popular personality test.
I’ve taken other kinds of personality tests before. I enjoy that sort of thing because psychology intrigues me –why we do the things we do is fascinating to me…
But when I noticed that I was thinking about this stuff all the time, digging in so much, I asked myself, “Why?”
“Why am I so curious about what this particular man-made test says about who I am?”
Now, I generally like to dig into things, to study, to jump down the rabbit hole in attempt to understand something or someone deeper… I can get a little curious. Sometimes dangerously curious…
But I believe the Lord wanted me to see and understand something that happened from my own experience, and I believe He wanted to wake me up so that I can see and understand what’s happening…
As a human being, what is one of our greatest desires?
I think many of us are searching to find out who we “truly are.” To find our purpose.
Identity.
I also think that many of us are looking to find others in the world who understand us, who get us. We want to feel like there is someone or a group of others who “get” us. Connection and understanding. Yes, this is a wonderful thing! I love to understand myself and others better, and I love to find people who are like me, who have the same struggles and challenges, and I like to understand why other people do the things they do. It’s all so interesting to me. I think connection is important and having people who understand me and love me unconditionally in spite of my flaws is the most wonderful thing.
But the Lord showed me the danger of inadvertently searching for my “identity” anywhere else but Him. I felt such a sense of caution about this… and it made me stop in my tracks.
It’s so easy to begin to searching for “identity” without even realizing it!
But God is the only true and safe source for this. He created me, He created my destiny and gave me the opportunity to walk with Him into it. It’s too dangerous to look anywhere else to find my “identity”…
I can’t find my identity in who others say I am.
I can’t find my identity in who I my mind says I am.
I can only find my true identity in who my Heavenly Father says I am.
Is it any surprise that the enemy is trying to mess with our identity in this day?
Is it any surprise that the enemy is trying to get our focus off of what God says about who we are, and onto our flaws or tendencies, our “old man nature?”
Is it any surprise that the enemy is going to be sneaky about all of this?
Is it any surprise that the enemy would try to make us obsessed over this thing? An obsession that can take our attention away from being “obsessed” with God and seeking Him, digging into His ways, seeking Him out…
Is it any surprise the enemy is out to get our “agreement” with who he says we are? Because if he can get us to agree with him about something as significant as that…. wow. What has that done?
What happens when instead of seeking out the Lord, looking into His Word to discover more of who I am… I turn and begin to listen to what man has concluded…. I risk listening to what the enemy has “concluded” and claimed about who I am, and I run the risk of getting off track, losing focus, coming under the lies of what the enemy wants me to believe about myself.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” – Romans 6:6
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
I was chosen in Christ (Eph 1:4)
I am part of God’s family (Eph 2:19)
I can come to my Heavenly Father and get to know Him through the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:18)
I am rescued and set free from Satan and abide in the Kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13)
I am forgiven and redeemed. (Colossians 1:14)
I am made new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am changed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18)
I am like Christ (1 John 4:10)
Thank You Lord, for waking me up to this, for helping me to understand this, and for reminding me that You are singing the truth over me, You say I am Yours, and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You want me to run to You when I’m uncertain about feeling understood or known. You know everything about who You’ve made me to be, and You have great plans for me. I will seek You and only You when I long to know who I truly am. ?I will cling to You and keep my eyes on You, and I know everything else will come from that place with You.
-Heather ?