I had the honor and privilege of ministering a few weeks ago about The Identity Crisis in the church. For some reason this topic won’t leave me. There is something that is vitally important for everyone who desires to move from that place called “STUCK”. It’s not about your relationship with others, your relationship with family or anyone that we would like to focus on, to give permission to stay where we are. We all must deal with OURSELVES. We have to resolve our lives and how we have become WHO we have become. There is identity crisis not just in the church but on the earth. People not dealing with or accepting who they are because they are unable to identify who they are. We have become who our parents wanted us to be. Who society says we should be. We have become the image of who we think our friends want us to be…But how many of us know WHO we are when no one is around? How do you deal with the quietness? The loneliness. The idleness of YOU? And it’s sad to say some will not take the time or the risk of being alone to figure it out.
I promise you that God made me do the work. He made me pull back the layers. He caused me to evaluate relationships, friendships, family, ministry and people because I needed to understand how I could be so consistent in every aspect of my life and relationships and be cast aside, abandoned, mistreated, unappreciated and feel completely alone. What more could I give? What more could I do? What more could I offer? When is it ever good enough? Based upon my perception of people’s acceptance of me and not my acceptance of myself. I was seeking validation from those who should not have the authority or the power to validate me. I was comparing myself and my worth with others who I deemed not as consistent or faithful as me and still they received the reward and praise. This attitude, thought and mindset is dangerous for anyone! I had to deal with ME. The “Who” of me in order to understand my worth outside of public and social validation. It is my prayer that everyone will take a moment and do the work. I wholeheartedly believe that it all starts with understanding our beginning.
The first 4 chapters of Genesis deals with the creation and fall of man. Around chapter two we learn that God says it’s not good for man to be alone so he creates the animals, but they were not suitable so he causes man to fall asleep and pulls out a woman from the ribs of Adam. Adam is happy and gives this new development a title “WOMAN” but he does not give her a name.
It’s important to know that every animal in the garden, even the trees were given a name but the one that was created specifically for Adam had no identity. She was bone of his bone flesh of his flesh but no identity, just a title and a responsibility. The “woman” could very well be dealing with some identity issues here and secretly comparing herself to all of the other creations. Probably feeling like she can’t voice her feelings…she walks around being all her husband needs until she comes in contact with something that challenges her “loneliness”...
The serpent who I like to refer to as the seducer shows up with a voice. He begins to woo her with something she feels will give her validation and affirm her. She needed to know the “Who” of her. God won’t tell her. Adam won’t name her—so he won’t tell her... but this is her “alas” experience. The serpent “knows this”...at least...so he says. God knows in the day you eat your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, KNOWING…” That’s the bait in hook because the “woman” just wanted to KNOW!! The internal crave and desire to KNOW caused her to make the biggest mistake of her life! Because how she did it caused seperation from GOD. How many of us have taken a risk thinking that it would be worth it in the end? Took chances that we were told not to take but said if I can just get an understanding or if I can just know I’ll be alright. Gone through someone’s email or phone # without access or permission all JUST to know. Why? Because the pains of not knowing was unbearable. And so we find ourselves in places in life with bruises, wounds, scars from the process of discovery...only to end up in a place called “STUCK”. We become bitter, resentful and hardened in our hearts because this internal struggle has weighed us down.
Can I submit to you that your struggle does not have to last? That your struggle of knowing “WHO” you are can come to a halt. But you have to be willing to do the work, and have the conversation with the one that created you. No one can identify a creation better than the creator. To fully understand a product isn’t it best to go to the manufacturer? He has the answers you are seeking. God WHO am I? Unlike Eve, I don’t need validation from man I need to know WHO I am from You...because YOU made me. I need to know WHO You made me to be. I can’t continue going on this way because I am damaging myself by trying to figure out my life through the lens of other people. WHO am I?!!!
After the fall of man...Adam proceeds to give the woman the very thing she had been searching for. He gives her a name. That name gives her identity. “And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” Eve proceeds to be WHO she was created to be. The mother of all living—she conceives and produces children who populate the Earth (this is all because of her.) When Eve knew her purpose she walked in it.
I believe that we all need to indulge in a little introspection seasonally to examine our hearts, resolve our purpose and to purify our motives. You were not placed on this Earth to be anyone other than WHO God created you to be!!
So again I ask: WHO are you and why are you here?
