pc: Lily Thomas Photography
We live in a society rallying for self-identity, all the while, lacking one of its very own.
It cries, “Be who you want to be. Do what you want to do. Go where you want to go. It’s your life, my dear, make it all about Y O U.”
A society teeming with uncertainty, all the while, yearning for authenticity and truth.
It beckons, “Believe what you feel is best. Only you know what you need. Follow your heart, my dear, make it all about Y O U.”
A society brimming with entitlement, all the while, depriving itself of genuine gratitude.
It groans, “Your life is nothing compared to hers. Buy what you want to buy. Treat yourself, my dear, make it all about Y O U.”
Yet, this same society trumpets nothing more than false advertisements and faulty assurances. Its empty promises of acceptance crumble under the pressures of its expectations. Its appeal for self-identified truth splinters in its own falseness. Its profession of happiness disintegrates with its tide of comparison.
Individuals once fooled by the charade of modern culture now lay confused, broken, and angry. The treacherous ideal, “Make it all about you,” has removed the mask only to reveal its true colors, and they are dark. Very dark indeed.
“Be who you want to be . . . unless ‘who you want to be’ contradicts who we need you to be.”
“Believe what you want to believe. . . . unless ‘what you want to believe’ disproves what we force you to believe.”
“Live how you want to live . . . unless ‘how you want to live’ clashes with how we demand you to live.”
Society promises freedom but delivers oppression.
Flee from its deception and break free of its bondage.
Growing up in modern society has been anything but easy. Being ambushed by new philosophies each day is not easy. Being encouraged to adapt to contemporary ideals is not easy. Being told to “just be me” with so many choices present is not easy.
It’s just not easy;
It’s OVERWHELMING.
And if I’m honest with you today, sometimes I feel as if I am drowning in a sea of me’s.
Because I’m faced with so many opportunities of who I can be and what I can do, when I sit down to think of who I am, my only true identity–my identity in Christ–sinks to the bottom as society’s demands rise to the top.
Have you ever driven to a store with a MISSION in mind? I mean, you know what you need, and you resolve to stay focused on procuring that ONE thing–nothing else and no distractions?
You finally arrive at the store and accomplish your mission–you’ve found what you were looking for–you procured what was needed. You feel thankful and at peace. Your mission is now accomplished.
Yet, as you make your way home, you’re bombarded by salespeople, desperately trying to sell you their products, each claiming that his brand is the best option for you. Before you know it, your swimming in a sea of merchandise, and the one thing for which you came now lay at the bottom of your pile, suffocated and stifled.
As Christians, we can rest in the truth that our identity is found in our Savior, Jesus. We don’t need to take the sample products of society. We just need God. Take a look at John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” We are the children of God, so our true, core identity is found only in and through HIM. Don’t stifle your authentic identity with masks and cover-ups.
We cannot create for ourselves our own identity, nor can we find it in our performance, our image, or our popularity. Society cannot dictate for us who we are. We can only find our identiy in Jesus and Him alone.
I don’t know exactly where the Lord will take me.
I don’t know what He’ll have me doing.
I don’t even know exactly who He wants me to be.
That’s okay, though. Because I know that my future and my identity rests in Him.
With love,
Delaney.
h e a r t- o f - t h e- m a t t e r 