Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? These are all questions we have asked ourselves at some point in time and I think they need to be answered. I am pleased to say that when I repented of my sins, was filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost and baptized in the saving name of Jesus that all these questions were answered. There is something about complete surrender to God’s plan and His will for one’s life that brings such peace and contentment. The rhetoric of “I don’t know who I really am” and “I need to go find myself” is nothing more than an old spirit of deception that has re-surfaced with a new face on. I like to say it like this, “the same old woman dressed up in a new dress”. This attitude of ME, MYSELF and I is nothing more than good ole’ selfishness.
The scripture tells us in Luke 9: 23-25–Amplified Version:
23And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight ofhimself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]. 24For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death].
25For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and ruins or forfeits (loses) himself?
Luke 14:26 (Amplified Bible)
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [in the sense of
indifference to or and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters–[yes] and
even his own life also–he cannot be My disciple.
These scriptures and many more let us know that we need to totally surrender to God and His plan for our lives. This may sound harsh or even cruel if we don’t understand what the Lord is saying, especially in Luke 14:26. Our love for our loved ones should in no wise even compare to our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. I have seen it way to many times, (as I’m sure you have), people will give up living for God or turn their back on His plan for their lives because of family (mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, etc.). How tragic this is. I wonder if they know the benefits of the surrendered life. In Luke 18: 28 I think Peter might have started to complain a little bit to the Lord when he said, “We have left ALL to follow you”. And I love the Lord’s response in the next 2 verses (read below).
Luke 18:29-30 (King James Version)
29…..There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom
of God’s sake,
30Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
I have also seen (as I’m sure you have) people who have learned how to surrender to God’s plan for their life and seen the blessings of God overtake them. You cannot out-give God! He will not be indebted to any of us. I love how Jesus used the word “manifold” in verse 30. In the Noah Webster 1828 dictionary, manifold is defined as: Of divers kind; many in number; numerous; multiplied. O Lord, how manifold are thy works!… Ps. 104:24 2. Exhibited or appearing at divers times or in various ways; applied to words in the singular number; as the manifold wisdom of God, or his manifold grace. Eph. and I Pet.
So, I like to think that if we “leave all” to follow God’s plan that we can expect to receive many different kinds of blessings in many various ways and at different times. I love it when God just gives us unexpected blessings! I know sometimes we all get a little selfish but I pray sincerely for a heart that is willing to follow after Him and not get into the selfish, “ME, MYSELF and I” syndrome of the modern day we live in. This attitude is not of God as is well seen through scripture but is the “spirit” of the selfish age we live in. If we want to “find ourselves” and “find out who we really are” we must surrender to God’s will and plan. He is a loving master and knows us better than we know ourselves. He will not ask us to do or be anything we cannot. “I can do All things through Christ who strengthens me.”
I am: a child of God, a wife, mother, friend, etc. that’s WHO I AM. I am not my own! I am bought with a price! and I am happy about it!
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