The last two months, I have been witnessing a
multi-generation of people grapple with their identity in Christ. Being
involved with numerous training camps ranging from a 12-year-old boy to a
32-year-old man has completely rocked my world, again. More specifically, watching
high school boys and girls start a journey of confronting what they have let
shape their identity thus far in life and seeking it to become more like Christ
has brought another heavy realization of what I am involved with through AIM. The last two years, I have had this continual thought but more recently
of…. “Oh crap, God, you actually trust me with your People, so do your thing because
this is deep stuff I am speaking about.”
This “stuff” is, Identity. It has become a pillar in my life
since September 2007 as I prepared for the Worldrace. In those days, I was
completely shocked from the LACK of identity I walked in as a child and Son of
God. I lived in fear, lies, darkness, shame, guilt, unforgiveness, hurt, and
anger – but the years have gone by now and I have chosen to FIGHT my battles
for the sake of my life and God – honestly. I believe the LORD roams the earth
searching day and night for men and women who are battling for their
security/identity in Him and not the things of this world. When we come to a
place of rest in Him, He can than entrust us with His inheritance (His people).
BIG deal!
I have stood in front of many youth lately and my heart has
been broken, torn, confused, and more passionate about this generation than
ever! These guys are at the stage of questioning themselves, what they believe in,
is all this ‘Christian’ talk real, etc. It is pivotal to begin exposing the
lies and speaking truth over them and fighting for them now. They live in a world
that I did not grow up in really and perhaps if you are older than me, a world you do
not understand. The common factor in many of us I believe, is that they and you
could silently be yelling for someone to listen, to be real, to love endlessly,
and to call out something. That something is the greatness God has placed in them.
Growing up, I was really good at acting (or so I thought). I
completely shut off those around me from the ‘depths’ of myself because of my
past with people, encounters that were not healthy, and the lies I heard on a
daily bases. No one had a clue what I was going through in my teenage years and
even into my young adulthood. When I was 23 years old, I actually began a
journey to identifying lies over my life that I had been walking in for so
long and asking God to heal my brokenness. I never had a Youth Pastor or Pastor be vulnerable about the struggles we
encounter on a daily bases from the pulpit and that was exactly what I needed,
it was like a hidden mystery or shame to even speak about in the Church. So I have decided that I would be a man who would be
honest, raw, and vulnerable with the ‘stuff’ in our lives that no one else likes to speak about because I believe Freedom in our identity is key to our walk with Christ.
I have spoken about real life matters in front of these
students lately: How cutting themselves is common and happens more than you know, how rushing to the toilet in a ‘sly’ way after every meal is now the norm for some ,
staying up late at night to watch pornography in a bedroom is ruining lives and families more than
people realize, that sex is rampant among us because no one explains the value
of intimacy and why God created it, that drugs are just ‘normal’ now, and the list goes on and on…(This is what I have encountered over several weeks and it has completely brought me to my knees).
But these outward actions are only a hint to what is at the core and possibly you reading this….
Can you believe there is actually
a God who is big enough to take care of all this? Who can handle
our addictions, fears, shames, etc. Let me tell you a secret though, it has been redeemed already! But it will be you who chooses a new mindset as well, to fight for yourself when you
are all alone in your room, to act differently when you walk into a room that has familiarity written all over it, and to run for the TRUE identity God has
given us!
So, no longer be bound by the lies of the enemy.
The truth shall and has set you free.
-Robby-
PS: If you need an ear for someone to just listen, I am
always available. Email me!
