With myself about who I am? With my family about who I am? Seems like a simple enough question… but for the longest time my answer has really been no. I have let very few people in my life see who I really am. A lot of the things I did and said were based on how I thought others would view me. I have always been able to say or do whatever was needed so that people would view me in whatever way I intended. I avoided situations where I had to show character.
I ignored those urges in my heart to do or say what seemed “right”. I now know those as righteous decisions and those urges as Gods will.
Most of us are immersed in a society where our image is everything; where what we have materially is the most important aspect of our lives. How did this happen? Why have we made the stuff we can't take with us when we leave this earth the most important things in our lives?
I think that this pursuit of material wealth and “stuff” is used to hide what truly defines us when we are stripped to the core of our being, our character.
A perfect example of character that we have been given is Jesus. He stuck with the plan, he never backed down even as he faced torture and a brutal death. He stuck to the plan and promise that God made us. The promise that his sacrifice will atone for the sins of all humanity.
Building character means sometimes standing up to everyone else around you, simply because you know that you are doing what is right. Sometimes (for some of us, most of the time) it means keeping your mouth shut and silencing your pride. Whatever it may be, these opportunities arise every single day. Truthfully just silencing my own mind and thoughts allows me to hear the Lord. He is always speaking to us, but we just don't listen.
I ask you these questions. Do you hide your true being with stuff? Do you avoid situations that show character because you are afraid of what may be revealed? Can you even answer these questions honestly? I am not asking these out of judgement, I just want to share the revelation that has been shared with me. I want to see more people grow into the the Men and Women God created them to be.
In part two I will talk about vulnerability and how this leads to growth in all areas of your life, including character.
I still need $3188 to be fully funded and stay in the field. I have been given an extention for my financial deadline which is now March 31. Please click on the donate link to the left under my picture to help me out!
