The idea of being “true to yourself” has been around since the time of Shakespeare. Adam Grant, a professor of management and psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, wrote an op-ed for the New York Times on June 4, 2016, entitled “Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice.” He concluded:
“I decided to be the person I claimed to be, one who is comfortable in the spotlight. It worked. Next time people say, ‘just be yourself,’ stop them in their tracks. No one wants to hear everything that’s in your head. They just want you to live up to what comes out of your mouth.”
This made me think: WHO am I and WHY do I think THAT PERSON is—who I really am?
Our assessment about who we are depends upon our source of truth. Humanism (a religion where “man” asserts that he is “god”) as well other man-made religions (including a lot of religious organizations which call themselves “christian”) have given us ideas about who we are. God’s Word also gives us ideas about who we are. Which source can we trust to define the very purpose for our existence? God allows for us to search for our most authentic self outside of His Word. In fact, our three enemies encourage us to look EVERYWHERE but God’s Word!
But God knows you better than you know you. He created you. He has given you a great and mighty purpose! What does HIS WORD say about YOU?
“God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis 1:27
“WE are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand.”
Psalms 139:1, 14-18
The truth is, you were created by God to be a one of a kind. Aren’t you just a little bit curious to KNOW the person God made? Or are you content trying to conform yourself to a man-made standard which is sorely limited by the finite knowledge of humanity? There is only one way to really know the extraordinary person you are; it is to know the God, who created you. When you are born again, you are made spiritually alive and enabled to know your Creator. Then, through reading His Word, talking with Him, and obeying His Word, you are transformed into the person you were created to be.
I promise you, you will love the person God designed you to be!
When we get lost in God’s presence, we are refined and shaped into our best self! We have no trouble being authentic when we are living according to God‘s design.
When we know who we are in Christ; we joyfully discover the unique and remarkable person He created!
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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