What do you put your identity in? What do you idolize? What do you allow into your life and give it power to dictate the decisions you are making?
My Identity was in: volleyball, in being a student athlete, in being a good person, in my job, in my success (fearing failure), in money
Its hard to take your Identity out of what you do and make it about what Christ does through you. That is the goal to make our lives purely about serving Christ and living in his freedom in his love.
Mark 7:6 – This passage is about Jesus calling out the Pharisees as being hypocrites:
Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with there lips but there hearts are far from me.”
Growing up I definitely honored God with my lips; I went to church, I lived a Christian life style, I loved God but my heart was set on other things at that time. I had my own agenda for my future. I was not seeking Gods plan for my life, I was set on my own plan.
It was like I was stuck in the shallow end of the pool for most of my life. I had not yet fully embraced Christ. I had both feet in the water yet was not ready to jump into the deep end. I love Christ with my lips but I was not ready to let God have complete control of my life.
It was not until college when I really started to purse a deep and intimate relationship with Christ Jesus.
Question: Have ever wanted something so bad that you would have done anything to get it?
That is how I felt about volleyball. It completely consumed my life. All I did growing up was eat, breathe, and train for volleyball. I didn’t know life without volleyball. This is obviously very unhealthy.
At the age of 12 I set my mind to playing college volleyball. I got to college and the volleyball program was such a disappointment. The team was awful and the volleyball program was way behind. So I decided to transfer schools and attend another university. Same thing happened. What I had been pursuing all my life was just not going the way I had anticipated. I was benched and literally felt like my world was ending. I had put so much time, energy, and even my identity into this sport.
So when it was not going my way I felt like I could not breath. My dreams were crashing down and I had absolutely no control. Throughout college I kept experiencing great disappointments. My pride, self-worth, and identity were being tested through this experience. I was so disappointed and frustrated I was definitely questioning why God allowed this to happen.
I had been pursuing my own dreams and plan for my life I had not really considered Gods plan.
At this point I was so unhappy. My third year of college was coming to an end and I was just so defeated. I was physically, emotionally, and mentally drained in all areas of my life. I could not give any more. I knew something had to change. I could not continue to live this way. I could feel God calling me back to him.
One night I went to a college worship service and during worship I could feel the Holy Spirit presence and just broke down and started crying. I was desperate for his presence. In that moment I knew the Holy Spirit was telling me its time to give up volleyball and start focusing on Jesus. It was a long process but I knew it was time to give up my identity in volleyball and purses my identity in Christ. It was time for me to be know as a child of God or a daughter in Christ. After that night I knew God was calling me to a different path and I did not want to pass it up. My heart was broken and I needed it to be put back together.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take”
This is so true as you can see seeking my will and pursuing my plans only lead to brokenness and heart break. Gods plan is pure and good
When you hear that calling and you feel the holy spirit don’t Ignore it. You could miss out on all the wonders God has in store for you. Listen for the Holy Spirit in your lives. God sent us the Holy Spirit to guide our path.
Luke 24: 49 (Jesus sent the Holy Spirit once he ascended to heaven)
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
The Holy Spirit is not this weak being He is so powerful and mighty. We literally have the power of heaven living inside us! We are so powerful through the Holy Spirit! We just need to decide to embrace it.
Acts 2:1-4 (This passage depicts just a piece of the power of the Holy Spirit)
“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
The Holy Spirit can do tremendous things we just have to allow him to work in our lives. The other really amazing thing the Holy Spirit does is gives us believers all sorts of spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.”
God knows your heart and will work through the Holy Spirit so that you receive the most perfect gift. The Holy Spirit chooses a special spiritual gift for each of us.
Question: What are these spiritual gifts? What does the Holy Spirit give us?
1 Corinthians 12: 7-11
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to preform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”
How amazing is that!!!
I challenge you to listen for the Holy Spirit and seek out your gift/gifts. Spend some time today in prayer and really search your heart for what the Holy Spirit has given you. Then go out and use your gift to further Gods kingdom. When you hear the Spirit speaking in your life don’t ignore it. Lean into it. Once you jump into the deep end be ready to start swimming with Christ. He will start moving in big ways. Don’t hesitate. God wants to know you and the Holy Spirit is ready to guide you every step of the way. So don’t miss out on what Gods plan is for your life. His plan is always so much more satisfying and rewarding then you could possibly imagine.
I am so grateful I listened to the Holy Spirit in that moment many years ago. It was time to strip off my old identity and get lost in Christ.
Ephesians 1: 17-18
“Asking God, the glorious father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called his holy people, who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”
We as believers are Gods rich and glorious inheritance. Don’t pass up this amazing opportunity to pursue Christ will all your heart, soul, and mind. He is definitely worth it and so are you. You are worth pursing in Gods eyes!
God is Good.
-V
