Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Post #13 - WHO AM I?



Beverly Daniel Tatum in her book chapter "The Complexity of Identity: Who am I?"  makes the argument that everything around us shapes into who we become and what we believe about others and about ourselves.

Who am I? "The answer depends in large part on who the world around me says I am." (Tatum, 2003, p 18). Sociologically, this is true for most of our world.

There is an alternative to how we come to identify and experience ourselves. With people it is impossible to escape the identity the world around us has imprinted us with, "but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

One of the human people in our lives who has the greatest power to name, mold, and identify us is our father. If our father was negative, critical, absent, angry, an alcoholic,  etc. … we developed a negative self-image.

The only way I know to escape the identity the world attempts to squeeze us into is to listen to God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and allow the creative power of His words to transform (Greek - metamorphosis) you from the inside out (Romans 12:1-2). 

We need to place ourselves in a position where the Holy Spirit can descend upon us so we hear His heavenly voice communicate, “You are my beloved Son (or daughter), and I am fully pleased with you” (Luke 3:22).

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray "Father, hallowed be Your name" in Luke chapter 11, He was prescribing His remedy for the issue of our identity. Allow God, the perfect Father, to tell you who and whose you are.

In The Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen said, "I want you to hear that voice. It is not a very loud voice. It comes from a very deep place. It is soft and gentle." Place yourself in the position where your True and Hallowed Father can call you forth to be the person He created you to be. After all, it was by speaking that God created the entire universe.

Or as John Eagen says, "Define yourself radically as one beloved by God" (Henri Nouwen, The Life of the Beloved).


"... I have called you by name; you are Mine ... you are precious in My sight, ... and I love you" (Isaiah 43:1 + 3).

I’d love to hear from you.  The easiest way to post a comment is to click once on the underlined title "Post #13 Who am I?" ... at the top of this post. Then go to the bottom of the post. A white box to "Post a comment" should appear. You can also just send your response to rustybach@gmail.com and I'll post it for you. If you’d prefer to remain anonymous, let me know and I’ll keep your identity a secret.

2 comments:

  1. Thank yooooooooooooooooou! Keep them Holy Spirit inspired blogs going on!

    Anastasia

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  2. In John 6:63, Jesus said:
    "It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. {Amplified Bible).

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