False equations in the search for identity in Christians
A few years ago, a 17-year-old girl came to visit me from a long distance. I had never seen a girl with so many qualities until then.
She was a beautiful and fit girl. The clothes he was wearing had no flaws. He earned his diploma in 11 years, and graduated with a GPA of 19. Because he was talented in music, a Christian music university had given him a full scholarship. He had a brand new esbert car under his feet that his parents had given him on his graduation day. I wondered how anyone could have it all.
He talked to me for half an hour and I realized that what I saw on the outside was not in harmony with what I had begun to see on the inside of him. “Mary,” I finally said to her, “have you ever cried all night about your own inadequacy and wished you were someone else?” –
She started to cry and said, “How did you know?”
I answered: “To be honest, I have understood that people who seem to have everything together on the outside, often feel some shortcomings inside.” I can ask this question to almost any person in their lifetime and get the same answer.
Often what we see on the surface is a false decoration to hide who we really are and to hide the hidden wounds we feel about our identity. For some reason, we think that if we look attractive, or act well, or have some status, then we will have all these things together. But this is not true. Outer appearance, success and fame do not necessarily reflect or create inner peace and growth.
Victory over darkness
Morris and if in his famous book called the sense of being someone, he expresses this false belief that we tend to accept, through simple equations. He says we mistakenly think that looking good plus compliments, and doing well and being successful and having status plus fame equals perfection, no, it doesn’t. These equations are as wrong as the equation two plus two equals six is wrong. Wagner says:
The effort we may make by relying on our appearances, actions, and social status to confirm our sense of belonging is usually unsatisfactory. Whatever peak of identity we have conquered will soon crumble under the hostile pressure of non-acceptance or criticism, excessive self-scrutiny or guilt, fear or anxiety. There is nothing we can do to be worthy of the unconditional and voluntary love of others.
If these equations could be fruitful for anyone, they would be useful for King Solomon. He was the king of Israel in the best years of this nation’s history. He was the owner of power, position, wealth, property and many women. If a meaningful and meaningful life is the result of having a good appearance, compliments, performance, success, status and fame, Suleiman was the only person who had all these things together.
Not only did Solomon possess all that fallen humanity aspires to possess, but God gave him great wisdom to interpret and interpret his achievements. What was his interpretation of all these things? “Vanity of vanity, vanity of vanity!… Everything is vanity!” (Society 2:1). Suleiman tries to find the purpose and meaning of life independent of God and for this purpose he writes a book on this matter. The book of Society describes the futility of pursuing the concept of life in a fallen world without God. Millions of people climbed the ladders of “progress” only to find out that they were leaning against the wrong wall after reaching the last step of the ladder of their progress!
Also, we tend to mistakenly believe that if people have nothing, they have no hope for happiness, and as a result, based on the world’s belief and formula, we think that success equals a meaningful life, for example, many years ago In the form of an example for a high school student, I stated: “Suppose there is a girl in your high school with a fat body like a potato, and her hair is like string, she limps and stutters when she walks. It has a very poor color and finish and is struggling for just an average rating. Does he have hope to be happy? “Probably not,” he said after a moment’s thought.
Perhaps he is right in this earthly kingdom, where people are entirely concerned with the appearances of life. Happiness is equated with good looks, relationship with famous people, good job and big bank account. A life devoid of these privileges often equates to despair. What is life like in the kingdom of God? There are no equations of success equal to happiness and failure equal to despair. There, everyone has exactly the same opportunities to live a meaningful life. Why? Because the perfection and meaning of life is not the result of what you have or what you don’t have and what you have done or not done. You are a human being and according to your identity as a child of God, you have a purposeful and meaningful life. The only equation of identity that works in the kingdom of God is the equation of you plus Christ equals perfection and meaning of life (you + Christ = perfection and meaning of life).
One may ask: “If our relationship with God is the key to perfection, why do so many believers have problems with their identity, security, worthiness, sense of worth, spiritual growth and maturity?” Maybe the first reason is negligence. Prophet Hosea said: “My people have perished because of lack of knowledge” (6:4). Some are deceived due to lust and lack of repentance and faith in God, and some are deceived by Satan. This deception was revealed to me years ago when I counseled a Christian girl who was a victim of Satan’s domination. “Who are you?” I asked him. He answered: “I am a wicked person.”
It is a pity that many Christians fall into this well. We fail, so we see ourselves as a failure and that makes us experience more failures. We sin, and we think we are sinners, and this makes us commit more sins. We have been deceived into believing that our actions represent our identity. This false belief leads us to the abyss of despair and failure. On the other hand, “His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). God wants us to know our identity so that we can live according to it. In Christ, being a living and free child of God determines how we act. It is with this in mind that we make the most of our salvation rather than doing anything to save ourselves (Philippians 2:12).
Today in the article : Victory over darkness – Christians We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
