Who Are You?
“Who are you?” Can you hear the question resounding from behind the persona of the man called The Wizard of Oz? “Who are you…who are you?” The question, asked throughout the ages, is of course, of paramount importance. Others have suggested, “I think, therefore, I am.” Others, “I yam what I yam.” The question lingers for each of us.
Who are you? The temptation for all of us, in reality, is to answer that question based upon what is happening in our lives at any particular moment. Some, upon the heels of success, would answer the question by saying, “I’m a deal maker!” Some, perhaps, would suggest, amidst the throws of failure, “I’m a loser, defeated, worthless.” Others, depending upon the season of life they find themselves in, might correlate their sense of being to a relationship, bank account, altruistic endeavor, athletic accomplishment, hobby, or something else. But who are we fundamentally? Its worth considering on the deepest of levels.
The bible suggests that our “being” is determined, not by what we have done, faced, or experienced, but rather, by who we are in relationship to God the Father. This is a critical truth on so many levels. For, like Job, to name one, if we face a season of life where we are plagued with defeat after defeat, our only hope for solace, joy, and enthusiasm, will come from our understanding that God, despite our location in life, still loves us and is working His plan in our life regardless of what the world around us looks like. Contrarily, like the rich young ruler who Jesus encountered, if we assume our place and “being”, our fundamental existence, is defined by what we have, then when the thought of losing all of that, or giving it away, comes rushing into our consciousness, nothing but panic, insecurity, and grief will confront us. There must be something more.
Jesus said it plainly when He suggested that all who have seen Him have seen the Father, and all who have Him, have the Father. He suggests that this is the definitive reality of our lives. Life with God or life apart from Him; on the most basic of levels, this is all that will ever remain. That is the bottom line. All other realities of our lives play second fiddle. This is why men who have known untold success have lived ruinous inner, moral, spiritual, and relational lives. And it is why women like Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, and so many others, have found no real inner peace despite the beauty of their form, the size of their celebrity status, or the worship of culture.
I ask you plainly today, who are you? Has your life been characterized by success after success? Do people look at you and applaud all you do? Do people whisper how great you are? Are you really? Are you the person God has called you to be in your inner, personal, and spiritual world? Do you understand your worth is not located in the opinions of others? Or, alternately, are you living a life less than everything you hoped for? Have you failed morally, financially, relationally, professionally or otherwise? Is a dream you have always craved remaining merely a dream? Does this reality define your moods, emotions, esteem levels, and relating patterns? Have you allowed the scars of the past to dictate your present inner reality?
Here is the good news for each of us; a life lived apart from God can be redeemed as we turn toward Him, embrace Him, and pursue His loving plan for us. Our success or failure in this life can become a critical part of the plan of God to use us to make an impact on our planet. Our success, defined by God and led by His hand, can be a huge source of blessing and leadership for others. Our defeats can become a cornerstone of the mercy, grace, and compassion of God in our life and in the lives of others as we exemplify His restorative power.
We are not defined by the shallow pronouncements of a broken and distracted world that has abandoned its spiritual moorings. Our identities are established in our relationship with Christ. If we never measure up to the dreams we set for ourselves or the dreams imparted to us by our families, our hearts and souls can yet thrive in Christ. If all the accolades and money and fame possible come our way, we can weather the storm of such pleasure and excess which seeks to distort our souls, and we can be defined by something bigger than that also. Life, true life, is found in the eternal realm. Our eternal lives are secure in Him if we have surrendered ourselves to Him. He is the shoreline we all crave when tossed upon the tumultuous seas of life. He is our refuge amidst the exhausting fight of daily life. He is the sobriety we all need amidst the excess of pleasure and comfort. He is our all. He must define us. One way or another, we are, indeed, defined by how we relate to Him.
And so, here is your life thought for the day.
Life Thought: I am defined by God’s view of me. The varying impressions I have of myself are not the definitive or last word on my life nor are the opinions of others. The reality of His mercy and grace and truth, alone, are final for me.
May we live in the light of that foundational spiritual anchor.
Bruce Smith
optimuslife.org
soulstormsite.com