To whom do you belong?

Why do we let people define us?  Why do we allow the world to define us?  Why do we allow the things we do to give our lives purpose and meaning?  How is it that is is so easy for up to forget who we are?  We have pages upon pages of a letter written to us showing us our worth and identity and yet one sentence from a friend or one business title and we forget those pages of truth telling us who we are. Truly the only question that matters is to whom do you belong?  We belong to the King.

You my sister are a Daughter of the King, a lover of people and friend to all.  Everyday the world around us, the people we interact with and the way we are treated try to place labels and definitions on us.  It is up to each of us to recognize those lies and labels and take them off.  Take off the labels that award position and status.  Take off the labels that place expectations.  We must fight to cling to the One that gives life.  The One who gives purpose and validates our every need.

I am at a place today of total surrender and entirely humbled.  I have nothing.  I am unemployed.  I do not have a car.  Soon to be homeless.  I am struggling with allowing these to define me.  I believe that I am nothing based on these stats.  That is a bad place to be as it rocks my core.  It causes me to be unsure of where He has me, unclear on who I am to be loving and serving and challenges me to cling to the truth that He is only Good.  I desperately want things or status so I can have purpose and I can boast in what I do, not whose I am (the one thing that never changes).  I am nothing but a body, hands and feet.  I am His beautiful daughter.  I get to allow Him to move in and through me.  What more could I even thing of wanting?  Deep down, I just want Him.  I want to be where He can use me and I want to honor Him with my moments and days.  I want my life to be used for His Glory.  This is the same whether I am employed full time or if I was homeless and living on the streets.  It is humbling and challenging as to where we find our purpose and importance.  We are wired and trained by the world to need to do and earn.  All He asks is for us to be. A total opposite mindset.  Simply just to be.  Be His, be open and be available to whatever He might be asking. He does not assign worth based on our performance.  Our worth in Him is solidified and was confirmed when Jesus stayed on the cross for us. He sacrificially loved each of us showing that real love knows no bounds.  This same real love transforms powerfully and lasts for an eternity.

Our purpose and importance does not change based on our titles at work, where we live or how many digits are in my bank account.  The amount of money on our direct deposit summary gives us no more importance than the number of diapers we change in a day nor the amount of friends we have. We are each responsible for different tasks in a given day, week and lifetime.  We are each on a specific path and following hard after Him looks uniquely to us individually.  What do we have in common?  We are all called to humble ourselves, pick up our cross and follow hard after Him daily.  But what is hindering this? Are we placing our importance on our jobs and performance there? Do we feel more important because of where our paycheck comes from?  Are we trying to earn our accomplishments or prove our importance?  The things we earn do not impress our God nor do the titles we use gain us any more self-confidence.  He gave us all the purpose we need when He died on the cross for us. When we chose to follow Him and give our lives to Him, we signed up to give our lives away.  This includes the need for validation and importance.  Why is it challenging to us when it comes time to truly give it away?  We are confused that He would ask us of our life showing humility; reality is He gave us our life.  He cherishes our moments of humility.  He values those moments of brokenness when all we can do is bow our knees and maybe raise our hands in total surrender.  He uses the broken and weary to show His Glory.

          The truth is we have everything we could ever want or need.  We have a Father who is more powerful than anything on this earth.  We have a Friend who is more faithful than any best friend we could have. We have a Provider who has sustained our every need.  We have a Spirit of wisdom and discernment that guides us through open and closed doors and all those forks in the road.  We have a God of order, He smoothes over the chaos and puts all confusion back into order. We have the Word to guide us in relationships and teach us who He is at the core. We have access to the most gracious and loving God.  Embrace Him a little more today.  Receive the grace that so freely flows.  Release the desires and lies of this world to have more of Him.  Remember you are loved and cherished based on Whose you are, not what you have done.