Your Identity for Purpose

Now that you've had some time to think about your identity there's a reason you need to have the same mind as Jesus.   If you continue to read down through the verses you will see that having that mind will help you become the person God created.  You will be able to submit to God's will for your life.  When you understand that, you have to disperse your will and inadequacies for the will of God. It becomes a labor of love.  You do it willingly.  Even when it gets hard you know it isn't about you.  You are able to weather the storm fearlessly because you know God is with you.  You realize that God loves you and He will take care of you no matter what you're facing. 

You learn to look to God more and people less.  God doesn't have a problem getting things done.  You start living a life directed by God and you will find yourself living a life of adventure.  Life that's full of life.  Not everyday will be perfect but your perspective will change.   When you look at things from the perspective of the love of God and for the love of others you are able to persevere.  It could be compared to a mother's love for her child or her children.  A mother will do anything to protect, provide for, and take care of her children.

As you are following God you will learn that not everyone will understand or agree with you. There will even be those that try to tell you why you can't or shouldn't.  In order to take the initial step you may have to go without telling a living soul.  If you're married you will need to get the support of your spouse.  If they aren't in agreement, turn it over to God and allow Him to get them there and don't move forward until they are on board.  When you start seeing signs of progress don't stop following God's direction.  What He has given you to do is Him expressing Himself through you.  Since you don't have the full picture of what He wants it and you to be you have to stay in lock step with Him.  If you need GPS to get somewhere you don't cut it off halfway there or you will get lost or never arrive at your destination.  That's why keeping God first place in your life is critical.

Your Identity

God is divinity.  God is omnipresent.  God is all knowing.  God is faithful.  God is Love.  These are just a few characteristics of God.  Think about this statement as you read this post...God is IN YOU!!  He desires to express himself through you.  This doesn't mean His liver is in you or His legs are in you but it means the ESSENCE of GOD is in you.  When you see it from the perspective of God being a part of you then you expect less of yourself and think you can't do what He's asking of you.  When He impresses a vision on the inside of you He doesn't expect you to do it in your own strength.  He knows how to get things done.  Think of it this way...Your vision is what God is doing through you.  He doesn't want you to look at your shortcomings, imperfections or your abilities to do this or that.  He wants you to yield to His direction and His operation.  When you see it as something you have to do, you think you can't because you are looking at what you are seeing in the mirror or what you are seeing around you.  When you start seeing the plan/vision as God's and His to complete, you are able to connect with what He is doing through you.  You begin to let it flow out of you.  You become non resistant like water.  You flow through the doors that are open and speak when the opportunity presents itself.

God has no problem getting things done.  He has no lack nor does he arrive too late.  There should be no reason these things are manifesting in your life.  However they are manifesting so you should ask yourself why?  Why are you afraid, why are you missing opportunities?  It's because of what you are identifying with.  Do you identify with the struggles of life; what has never been a part of your life or how hard things have been for you?  Do you identify with the challenges of your family life?  Whatever you identify with will be the experience you draw into your life. 

It's time to change your identity.  Identify with God, His character, the very Essence of who He is.  It will change how you see everything.  It will change what you expect because you begin to see nothing being impossible.  The word says with God all things are possible.  When you see yourself as separate from God you don't see everything as possible.  When you see yourself as one with God then your perspective changes.

"Let this mind be in you that is in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God."  (Philippians 2:5-6)  In times past when I read this verse I don't know what I was thinking it meant but now I think I understand it.  Jesus didn't think he was robbing God the Father of anything or making God less than who he was by thinking himself equal with God.  Do you think yourself equal with God.  Paul said let that same mind be in you...you think this way as well.  See yourself equal with God.  That's a big idea.  Thinking yourself equal with God.  I bet your mind is doing backflips right now.  If so go back to the beginning of this blog and read the part I told you to remember.  I'll stop here so you can meditate on this for a little while.

Feelings, Thoughts, Decisions

If you have been wondering why your life is going the way it is I would ask you to evaluate how you are feeling most of the time.  When you're alone?  What are your thoughts about things that aren't going the way you want them to go.  Pick an area of your life that seems to always be out of whack.  How do you feel about it, what do you think when you think about it and what kind of conversations do you have about it???  Is there financial lack in your life?  Are you attracting the same type of people in your life?  Are you working a job because it's the only thing you've ever done and you don't know how to get out?  These situations can change but you have to start with how you are feeling and thinking about them.  You decide to do and be because of your thoughts and feelings.

Your feelings are what drive your thoughts and your thoughts drive your decisions.  When you feel like you always attract the same type of person, you feel like you can't get out of the industry you are in or you feel like you will never have the money you need to enjoy life...you will think about it that way and your decisions will be in line with those thoughts and feelings.  Let's say you want a committed relationship but you have been in relationships that amount to nothing.  You think about all the relationships that have gone badly, you see that you are in a relationship that is crazy right now or you aren't in a relationship.  You get with friends and talk about how crazy men are or there aren't any good men out there or heaven forbid you say I don't have time or I don't care about having a relationship.  When deep in your heart you know you would love to have one.  You decide to live your life as if you are going to be single the rest of your life.  You make the decision to fill your days and nights with busy activities so you can be okay with the idea that you don't have time or you're not interested in a relationship.  Another example, how do you feel when you are in a financial bind.  You feel a knot in your stomach, you get tense and then you get a call or a letter from someone else that needs money from you.  When night falls you watch the clock wondering how you are going to pay the bills you're facing and how will you ever get out of this mess.  The phone rings first thing in the morning and you tense up because you see that it's one of the bill collectors wanting to know if you have the money.  Your thoughts are constantly on the fact that you don't have the money you need.  When you finally take or return a call, you're in a panic when you were talking to the bill collector and you over commit your finances.  Sometimes you ask God to supply but you work on what you will tell the collector when they call and you don't have the money.  I get it...You want out of this cycle but how do you get out?

The first thing you have to do is choose the issue you would like to start working on and see what you are feeling and thinking about it.  It may help to write things down if you have more than one area to work on, it will also help track your growth.  If you're feeling sad, anxious, fearful or tense about the situation do something that makes you feel good.  If singing makes you feel good, sing.  You can listen to some music, go to the park or for a drive.  Don't try to deal with the situation until you are in a good place.  When you can think about the situation or issue and not have those stressful feelings you are ready to deal with it.  If it takes a little while to get there, keep working on it.

Be mindful, you're working to deal with things differently and you will be challenged to fall back into what you are used to.  You will have to talk to yourself to get and keep your mind in check.  Having a bible verse that reminds you of God's promise regarding your issue is extremely helpful.  For instance, you have been doing well on feeling good and hopeful about your finances increasing.  Then you get a bill that says something is going to get disconnected tomorrow.  You may automatically think, I just can't catch a break or I will never get out of this hole.  You will need to catch that immediately and say, "My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory".  You say it as much as you need to until you can settle your mind.  Don't panic and start calling everyone to see if you can borrow the money by tomorrow because you will end up owing someone else.  What happens if not one person you call is able to assist you?  The answer you need is inside of you and waiting on you to look for it.  But if you are in a tizzy, fearful or in a panic you will not hear the answer. 

"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Peter 1:3).  Either you believe what God has said or you don't.  This verse will anchor you and you can use it for at anytime for any situation.