Just Who Do You Think You Are?
Have you ever been asked that question? Have you ever asked YOURSELF that question? I have. Every time I try something new or dream that I could accomplish the impossible. Become an entrepeneur. Who do you think you are? Go after a personal trainer certification. Yeah..who do you think you are? Learn to swim..still conquering that one! This is a picture of two of my biggest inspirations, my dad and my husband. They both walked away from careers to taking a chance on an opportunity to open a pizza restaurant with absolutely no experience! They’re amazing!
But if I try to answer the question, who do you think you are, within the confines of my abilities I will fall short every time. But the Bible says that in Christ, I am a conqueror and a warrior!
So let’s talk about how that plays out in our endeavors. If I asked you how do you develop more Christian characteristics like self-control, kindness towards others, godliness or faith, loving others above ourselves, most of us would say we need discipline to accomplish those goals.
But let’s read a familiar portion of scripture that has recently enlightened me:
2 Peter 1:5-9
“Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Wow! It is clear from reading this, that if you lack Christian qualities like self-control, godliness and brotherly kindness, it is not because you lack discipline but because you have forgotten that the blood of Jesus Christ has purchased the forgiveness of all your sins. Daughter, if you remind yourself daily that you have been cleansed from all your sins, you will exhibit more and more of these qualities. Your heart will overflow with self-control, godliness, perseverance and love.
The truth is most Christians I know, including myself, are not living the abundant life we are called to live because we are in a constant state of striving.
We have become performance oriented instead of God oriented. We spin our wheels daily wondering if we’ve done enough to please God or please others; if we’ve said the right things, thought the right thoughts, done all of the right actions that will make Him pleased with us.
Daughter, a great and lofty price has been paid for you. Some of the things you’re trying to achieve in your spiritual life have already been done when He cried, It is Finished! You are complete in Him. Why do we try to attain a level of holiness that has already been accomplished through the cross?
I think it’s because we’re told to try harder, work longer, be better. The self-help book industry is a BILLION dollar industry. Yes, of course, we are to strive today to be better than we were yesterday and this blog is about dreaming big but the answer is to put God at the center of it all and when we do, we can accomplish more than we can ever imagine.
I don’t say these things lightly as if they are easy to do. Putting complete faith and trust in God is a daily challenge. I’m a take charge, Type A kind of gal. I like things in order and well planned out and then executed perfectly. But, step by step, we can begin to achieve that level of trust. It has taken me years to get to this place but I believe it was by His design.
One thing I’ve come to believe in my spiritual walk is that it’s not the destination but the journey that’s most important. We can set goals and make plans but make sure you’re stopping along the way and celebrating victories, watching for the Father’s work in our lives, and returning to the source. His greatest desire is fellowship with us. What a humbling thought but so very true. There is such a rest that comes from this kind of walk, one that I never thought possible.
As we go through our day, may we know our worth in Him in every area of our lives and my prayer is that you remember this truth. Jesus has already accomplished all that we will every need in every aspect of your life!
And the same God who sent His Son for our salvation, will give you the strength, the tenacity and the courage to walk through any new endeavor that you set your heart to accomplish. With God, all things are possible!
Who do you think you are? I’m a daughter of the King!
