Identity Crisis

We all put our identity in something: possessions, position, and people. As a result, our identifiers control our temperature. We get heated when we lose something, our authority is in question, or we disagree with a loved one. Like a roller coaster, our days have their ups and downs. We often do not see them coming, but once our ups become downs, we let our worst become evident.

We have created a love relationship with the world around us, glorifying the good it brings us, and being corrupted by its tempting beauty. At night, we go to bed with it, and in the morning, it leaves us unsatisfied. The result? Destruction of our spiritual, emotional, and even physical well-being.

Once sin plagued this world, Satan used deceit, lies, and evil to enslave God's Image to his purpose: total annihilation of any possible love relationship with the Almighty God. One of his greatest weapons is convincing us to be content with the world. Like a one-night-stand, we try to get what we want quickly, and when the night is over, we go on seeking another form of happiness that is as fleeting as the air we breathe.

As we go from one hotel room to another, sin slowly devours us; unrealistic comparisons, lust, greed, coveting, uncontrollable temper, self-pity, lying, malice, the list goes on. We become the monster we promised we would never become. If we were to be interviewed with the question, "Do you wish to inflict harm on anyone?" most of us would consciously say "No." Unfortunately, when worldly expectations are not met, we lose control and live a destructive lifestyle. We unconsciously change our answer to "Yes."

If we keep these things from becoming our identity, they are good things to have. When we construct a golden calf (Exodus 32) in honor of the world, we become a slave to it. We befriend the world and bow down to its commands. The world tells us, and we do it.

We have become adulterous people, sleeping with the world and shunning the love that God offers us all the time. James 4:1-4: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God...You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

So, we become enemies of God when we put our trust, faith, and loyalty into the world. How is this encouraging? How is this uplifting? None of this is, but what God offers is truly the greatest gift we can receive. When we read James 4:4, it can be easy to take pity on ourselves because we have so often become friends with the world. But, we can take heart because "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted, beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out, so that you can endure it."

In other words, all of the sins that mankind has had to endure in the past can still be endured through God's promise that no temptation is beyond your control. Hence, any friendship with the world can be avoided because it is not beyond what we can bear. We can choose to focus on God's will for us and not on the temptations of the world.

See, Satan wants us to get entangled in our sin and lose track of God's purpose for our lives. On the other hand, God wants us to see our potential through his eyes - and we can only reach it when we allow him to direct us at all times. Again, we must choose him as our guide.

So, how can we avoid climbing in bed with the world?

Romans 12:2 speaks about how we need to think - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world," it says, "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The rest of verse two is the kicker: "...Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will."

When you give God the opportunity to open your heart and mind, he will renew it. Psalm 1 clarifies what will happen to those who are "planted" in the Lord: "...That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither - whatever they do prospers" (v. 3).

Plant yourself in Christ. The true definition of success is not found in the world's dictionary, but in the libraries of Heaven. God wants you to prosper in him! We do not need to fear man (Hebrews 13:6) and conform to their patterns. If you rest in God's love, a love that fears, worries, evil, and even the gates of hell cannot vanquish, you will find an identity that only God can perfect.

Take a look around you. Do you see anything that will eternally give you peace? Wisdom? Love? In Ecclesiastes 1, Solomon is lamenting because he has searched and searched all human things, only to find them "meaningless." Even wisdom and knowledge he found to be meaningless because is all relayed back to the wickedness of man (source: Biblegateway commentary). Evidently, Christ was where Solomon could find true value. No gimmicks, no wickedness, and no flaws. Pure perfection in all things.

Sure, you can take pride in the temporary things of this world, but they will eventually fade away. So, what will be left when all of it does fade?

River of Life

There are two sides to living: your own way, or God's way. You can live the way you want, with no allegiance to anyone but yourself. You are the commander of yourself. You are solely responsible for the type of existence you create, and the consequences that come with your choices are only made visible when you decide to make a big deal of them.

This sounds pretty good. No responsibilities. Eminem, songwriter and rap artist, once said, "I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There's no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it." We can say whatever we want, do whatever we want, and whoever does not like it can lick a frozen flagpole. "Out of my way, I have a life to live," the independent fighter can say. Again, no allegiance to anyone. You rule yourself, and if anyone wants to follow, they can come along as long as it does not intrude on your decisions, choices, and minor responsibilities.

Unfortunately, those who live for themselves are prone to wickedness and deception. They only think about what suits them, and this selfish corruption they file away begins to define them. Galatians 5:19-21 says,

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Paul, author of Galatians, wrote with the churches of Galatia in mind. He wrote to Christians who knew of sin and were aware of who it affected. If you are aware of the sin you commit, yet continue to commit it, who is your allegiance to? Just two verses prior, Paul states, "For the flesh (sinful) desires what is contrary to the Spirit (filled with the presence of God), and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want" (Galatians 5:17).

Slowly, a simple sin turns into a habit, and that habit turns into addiction. As we begin turning over to depravity, selfishness, and some of (if not all of) the sins listed above, we begin to lose the identity God intends to give us. We become unglued and run loose like beheaded chickens.

What do we do in a society like this? God's heart breaks at the rebellious children. We look in mirrors and shatter them with our corrupted identity (James 1:23). Who we are supposed to be gets locked away by the hands of demons, and our selfishness rules like an emperor of a country.

We are choking among thorns, thistles, weeds, and death. Where we sit is a graveyard. Dehydration kicks in, and those who surround us mock in ridicule and evil laughter. Lifeless, our only motivation is the hope of dying sooner than later. 

Yet, from the perspective of David, there lies another source of hope.

Not too far from corruption flows a never-ending river. It is an oasis of rich blue and delicious spring water. On the other side of that stream sits a tree. Its leaves never whither, it yields its fruit every season, and its limbs never grow tired. Here, it rests by the stream because it never thirsts (John 4:14) and never grows weary. Whatever it does, it prospers. This tree never steals, never boasts in itself, and never covets; it never grows impatient, unkind, or wicked. There is no need for this tree to sin because it "delights in the law of the Lord" (Psalm 1:2). Everyday, the tree receives life. It is always joyful, accepting, and at peace. Because it relies heavily on the water and plot of land it is given, it never wanders, but receives life everlasting.

David paints this picture in Psalm 1. In this chapter, David begins to understand how critical it is to stay committed to God and never stray. The wicked, while sitting on the opposite side as the prosperous tree, will always perish in their own foolishness (their decision). But, this tree will always be in nourished. It sits by Living Water, which will never run dry. 

Sometimes, we fall into those storms in life. We begin thinking about our problems, our issues, and our future. We leave God out of the equation, whether done intentionally or unintentionally, and we suffer for it in the end.

Plain and simple: A life without God will eventually perish, and a life with God will prosper like a tree by the riverside. 

Which side of the river do you find yourself on?

The Great (Misfortune) Gatsby

He reaches out slowly, as the green light dimly shatters the atmosphere that covers the water. Gatsby desires something he cannot put his hands on. He is desperate, wanting that intangible radiance to become physical, something he can hold, something he can claim to be his own. This green light resembles hope. It resembles everything Gatsby wishes he had. The light creates a steady beat, a heartbeat, and Gatsby will do anything to place it in his possession.

We are like the Gatsby. We live for things we cannot grasp, and we spend our lives trying to grab it. As Gatsby tried to get Daisy back, it ultimately created a frenzy and the illusion that Daisy was free for the taking – that the past could be relived. Unfortunately, we sacrifice our true nature and begin falling in the trap that the green light is why we are alive. We obsess and obsess until the green light vanishes; all we have left is the mess we've created from betraying our true love.

Gatsby, a mysterious young man who hid himself behind the parties he threw, was always considered a highly-regarded gentleman who received praise from the most well-respected officials of the United States and internationally. Yet, his motive behind throwing such decorated parties was plain and simple: to grab the attention of one thing that he could never obtain – Daisy.

We, too often, distract ourselves with the world’s desires. Like soap, we try to hold on, but these disguised “gifts” slip right through our fingers. We become possessed and enraged, murdering our innocence and pouting over what we cannot have. We throw tantrums and shackle ourselves to the wall, all the while pretending we are the victim of our stupidity. We flip the switch on ourselves as darkness consumes us and the light becomes a distant memory. Obsession leaks in, and it’s too late before we realize we never needed the flickering light to live.

One day, a wealthy man came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied by telling him he must keep all the commandments. Proudly, the man replied, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. (Mark 10:20)” Jesus calmly commanded, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. (v. 21)” The man left disheartened, “for he had great possessions. (v. 22)”

Unfortunately, we are like the man who has great possessions. Notice that Jesus said the man would have “treasure in heaven.” The man’s possessions meant such a great deal to him, that it outweighed his anticipation to receive treasures in heaven. He became so obsessed with the worldly possessions; they began to define him – like the green light that flickers. He abandoned his true love for something that fades.

Fortunately, everything we need is right in front of us. It is not in the parties we throw, or the people we know; it is not in the classes we take and pass, the education we earn, or the job we work. We do not find our purpose in the television we purchase or the vacations we take. Our life, our hope, and our purpose is found in Christ and Christ alone. He is our fortress, our refuge (read the book of Psalm), and our lover. No wonder Jesus told the rich man to sell all he has! Our riches cause chaos, like it did with Gatsby. Our identity is in God, and as long as we are reaching out for the green light, we are only living out an illusion.

We are encouraged to keep our eyes on him. Proverbs 4:25-27 provides the wisdom we need to stay focused on what is right: “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” And the green light? Do not look at it. It flickers, it wavers, and it is a tempting call to walk down the wide path of temporary riches and fame. Keep your eyes on the Kingdom of Heaven, and treasures of the heavenly realm will await you.

Flesh vs. Spirit

Our flesh is filled with sin. Lust, greed, alcoholism, selfishness, debauchery (links with lust), lying, cheating, adultery (again, lust), murder, coveting. When you think about it, sin is pretty abundant in our lives. Mark 7:21-22 says, “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice (intentional meanness), deceit, lewdness (lust), envy, slander (bad report, whether a lie or gossip), arrogance and folly.” It comes from within us, yet is a part of our flesh, not the Spirit. In the case of the Spirit and the flesh, we need to clarify the meaning of each. Romans 8:2-3 declares: “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” It is the last part of Romans 8:3 that sticks out the most: “…and so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us…” In this sense, there is a clear separation between our flesh and the Spirit, which comes from God; ultimately, sin is tied to our flesh. Along those lines, John 3:6 says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit,” suggesting that the flesh is separate from the Spirit, and that the flesh and Spirit cannot coincide with one another. The context of John 3:6 is when Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus about being born again. Although we are born in flesh (as sinners), we can receive Jesus Christ through the Spirit, which is something the flesh can have no part in.

With so much sin trapping the very fabric of our being, who we were meant to be comes crashing down and is replaced by a monster we never knew could exist. We are reminded in Galatians 5:16 to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Along with Galatians, Romans 13:14 tells us to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Again, Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other.” The last part of Galatians 5:17 suggests the Flesh and the Spirit are at war.

So, when we think of sin as falling under the following categories – lust, greed, alcoholism, selfishness, debauchery, lying, cheating, adultery, murder, and coveting – we must realize that sin is anything that opposes God, or the Spirit. If you are uncertain this is true, the verses above speak volumes of the two. Do you worry? Are you obsessive over worldly things? Are you prideful? Well, if these things are not of God, then they must not be a part of the Spirit. If they are not a part of the Spirit, they are a part of our flesh. If they are a part of our flesh, then we must not do those things if we are in the Spirit. Unfortunately, worry, obsession, and pride are forms of sin as well. Fortunately, there is a cure. There is a remedy

Yes, our flesh is filthy. Our flesh is gross, and only wants what is opposite of the Lord. So, how can live in the Spirit? Looking at the verses above, it is clear the flesh is in opposition of the Spirit. The beauty of this contradiction is that, out of the Flesh and the Spirit, the latter always wins. As long as we “clothe [ourselves] with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Spirit),” we win. As long as we abandon our fleshly desires, we win in Christ.

The next question might be, “How do I ignore such a big part of my life?” Yes, sadly, our Flesh plays a major role in who we are. After all, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23 declares.

But, Galatians makes it clear to us. “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, douse yourself with the love of Jesus (remember? The man who took on the sins of the world?) “Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5 says. Everything we do and say must reflect Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to work, and do not give over to the desires of the flesh. Be reminded of who you are in Christ. Commit yourself to excellence from God’s perspective, not your own. And, the best part, God promises he will never leave you or forsake you. After all, with his guidance, what can mere man do to you (Hebrews 13:5)? NOTHING.

It is not easy, but when you begin learning to ignore the flesh, you walk towards the Spirit. You give proper attention to the Spirit. Listen to the Spirit, and it will guide you. All you need to do is clothe yourself with Jesus Christ.