How do you gain a solid perspective about who you really are?
For about the first 20 years of my Christian life, I thought I knew who I was—a Christian, a mother, an attorney and a wife, yet—inside, I knew I was empty, drifting, desperate, unsatisfied, lonely, sad, and scared. Later, in the midst of my divorce, I realized that—I really had no idea who I was—and—I really didn’t even like the person I thought I was.
That’s where God found me and…like the prodigal son, I was drawn by His goodness. Although I had been born again in my early 20’s, and began developing my relationship with God, I slowly drifted away from it. It was like I was in a neglected marriage. I said “I do” to God and completely surrendered to Him when I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, but slowly, I began replacing Him with other “gods” like work, family, sports, and the other “good life” things that we often “worship” (meaning make a priority) in the place of God.
This is EVERY person’s life struggle and—God knows this! Why do you think Jesus said the FIRST and GREATEST commandment is to love the LORD with ALL your heart? Indeed, from the beginning to the end of His Word, God makes it clear that loving HIM above all else should dominate our life.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38
“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”
Exodus 20:3-4
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
HOW does loving God with all your heart help you to KNOW who you are and like who you are?
God created you in HIS image and when you draw close to Him, you see yourself like HE sees You. Conversely, you stop looking at yourself through the eyes of your ENEMIES (the world, the flesh, and satan) who say:
You are inadequate and will never measure up because you are not…
You are a failure because…
You are not beautiful/handsome unless you look like…
You will NEVER be loved unless you [do, are, be]…
As you draw near to God, He confirms:
You can do all things through my Son who died for you…
You can NOT fail when I am with you…
You are the great treasure I thought was worth dying for…
You are always loved…
The more we draw near to God, the more we desire Him more than we desire the old gods who enslaved us with constant dissatisfaction and emptiness. He is light. His light illuminates our life. We see the ugly parts and want to get rid of them. We see true beauty and desire to perfect it. As we allow God to uncover who we REALLY are, we desire Him even more.
When we discover God, we gain the purest self-knowledge.
In God’s presence, we discover the safety of being completely known and yet—completely loved.
“And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Galatians 4:6-7
To learn more about Kimberly Faith and the mission of Faith Strong, click HERE.
Out Now – Essential Faith, Volume II. Find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.
