We as humans all have something we put our 'identity' in. I don't really know how to explain what it means to have your identity in something, but my best explanation is as follows: Your identity is what you find the most joy in, and how you measure success. Example - A child's identity is found in his/her parents. The child is 100% focused on his parents, and their approval or availability. This can be seen when a parent leaves the child with babysitter, or when the child wants to be carried while in a public place. Later on in the teenage years the child becomes way less concerned with the parents, and way more concerned in sports, image, and the opposite sex (no need for explanation or examples here).
Later on in life we lay our identity in careers, families, friends, or even sports teams. This explains the peculiar over-the-top reaction when a college football team loses. Some people literally suffer from short-term sanity loss (for best example see University of Alabama fans).
So you may be asking, what in the world does this have to do with vacuuming. Relax, I'm getting there.
I'm pretty sure I fall in the category of career identity. Prior to working with Young Life, I had a very comfortable job working with a financial software company. I had earned respect from my co-workers and started to take on leadership roles within my department. It was pretty easy to find joy and self-worth in my job.
Now that I'm working with Young Life it has become much less about how important I am to the organization, and more about how I can humbly serve in ways that are less than appealing. This can be a shock to someone who has rooted a lot of their self-worth in career. But today it was awesome.
My thoughts today were more focused on finding my identity in Christ - not career, family, or friends. Christ is a much better place to find identity because guess what, He's not going to fail. He won't fall short like the career identity, or the family identity. Why? Because we were built to live with Christ as the center. Focusing on anything else as the center is like trying to run a gasoline engine with water. It won't run right, and eventually it will break down.
What does identity in Christ look like? Again, not entirely sure. It probably looks like setting your purpose to serve and seek Christ daily, and to bring Him glory. Our only purpose on this planet is to bring God glory (whether in our work, how we love others, or even how we enjoy our favorite activity). Who we are in Christ are children saved by grace. That's a pretty easy place to rest if you ask me. Check out the below verse that might paint the picture a little clearer.
In Matthew 11:30, Jesus shows us what he's about.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Life would be a lot more enjoyable if our burdens were lighter. Why do we make it so difficult?
Below is a sunset pic I took the other day... Pretty crazy
Love this! Really made me sit back and think this morning. Thanks foe sharing Mo!
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