A few weeks ago, while visiting Ryan's parents, we heard a sermon on Lord's Day 1. The minister said something that I've heard before but was still great to hear. He said that the world often asks "Who am I?" but the Christian should ask, "WHOSE am I?" Once we answer this question it will be much easier to define "Who am I?" Shakespeare says "To thine own self be true." While this can be a very worldly saying, if I find my identity in Christ, than being true to me means being true to him too. Life is filled with difficult decisions that affect us a great deal in our daily life, it's often hard to remember to define ourselves in Christ to say, "I am not my own but was bought at a price!"
Sometimes when I look at this blog I think it's a bit of a downer name I've given it, but I did it to remind myself and you that we must be humble. We are slaves to our evil nature, and if we're honest we all feel the constant battle within us. The Spirit with in us fights with our desire to go our own way. I'm looking forward to being complete in heaven, to knowing that I am doing what I was created to do, and to no longer be held back by the limitations of my sinful nature!
I have a tendency to try to please others. I want people to agree with me so I can come across argumentative but sometimes I think it's my blundering -bull in a china shop- way of trying to be persuasive. I am the perfect example of someone who 'means well'. These are traits that actually rob ME the most of my own contentment. I want to be confident and comfortable in my decisions. I have to do what's best for me and my family, what will nurture my faith and make me into a better christian wife, mother, sister, friend, and neighbour. I feel this need to explain myself when I make decisions, almost to 'defend' myself. I don't know where that comes from! Maybe because I'm the youngest and was always subjected to lots of advice -- lots of it good :) Maybe it's to do with easily I am intimidated and how easily my confidence in myself is shaken. I'm gonna work on it this year though. I'm going to be praying lots for God to give me the confidence to rest securely in the choices I make. I'm going to pray that he gives me the wisdom to make the right choices, and the courage to recognize and fix the wrong choices I make.
Thank the good Lord he did not leave us in our own hands. If he had done so our demise would be unavoidable, but he bought us, paid the price for us, and lifted us out of the pit we had no way of getting out of on our own.Through Christ I can do all things, through Christ I can be true to God's Spirit and also to my own spirit.
So Whose am I? I am not my own. I belong both body and soul, in life and death to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. ~ Romans 8:9a
