Identity
We see our life as either successes or failures; healthy or broken, moving forward and backward.
We'd like to categorize other people and therefore categorize ourselves so that it's simpler… so that there's a sense of identity. Clarity. That we can just quickly give a sound bite to someone when they ask how we're doing. None of life is that simple, right? We're always a conglomeration of many parts that are feeling many different things and experiencing many other things. When we own that, to begin with, and we realize that our identity and who we are is made up of many different parts - then we can take different parts and work on those different parts without sabotaging the whole.
The more we mature the more we grow the more we become people that have a perspective the more we understand what then we live in today. In this season I want to break apart all our identities. I want to make it tangible for you.
The word identity.
I didn't even necessarily want the name of this because it feels like something you're supposed to figure out in middle school and then have set for the rest of your life. Everybody I know (of every age) is still working it out because we are complicated people and while one part of us might grow insecurity and maturity and wholeness another part of us might be sinking because we aren't paying attention to it rather than feel like we've got to shore all these things up all these parts.
What I'm going to say is actually part of the way we're supposed to walk with Jesus is in the tension of the different parts of us that are feeling different things. I'm not here and in these 12 weeks to fix you. I'm not here to make sure that all your parts are thriving.
“I'm actually here to walk beside you and narrate what I believe is happening in our culture and in our own hearts and our lives and to narrate what scripture tells us that God wants for us.”
Let me give you the little secret right up front that you are at the very core of your identity the one thing you are the very very most is created to be a child of God.
You were created to be a child of God.
That child like part of you that is most free that is most joyful that is most delighted and by God that has a relationship with God - that I trust Him, that I love Him, that just can't wait to spend time with Him and that little child-like part of you that I believe if you've known the Jesus you have had in your life - maybe it's been years but you have that part of you. That part of you runs most free when the other parts of us are noticed and comforted and dealt with and so in this season our identity is going to be that most full and holy as a child of God: who hears from God, knows God, who walks with God, who Delights in God.
[We are also going to talk about all the burdens and sins and struggles and realities of our time and our race and how we get tired sometimes and talk about all those parts because all of that affects and limits our ability to just be who God made us be: His children of God; safe, secure, whole, free, loved delighted over, children of God.]
So forward this to your friends. It’s always the very best to do life in community - to process together. I would argue that there is not anything more absent in our culture than encouragement. It is the antidote to discouragement. So we've got to find other people that can speak into our courage.
I hope I'm one of those people for you…
that is my goal but you also need real-life eyeballs and people to do this with so let me be your courage coach. Let me encourage you to find the people that will help build courage in you.
