One of the greatest problems of humanity is that of identity crisis. Many have failed to come to the realization that God created each of us unique and different from another. This because He has assigned each of us to a specific task and the capacity to live out this purpose is in being unique.
God never created anyone inferior. Every creation of God from things to human were a careful work of art and science with optimum functioning. Ignorance of this truth makes some people to be ungrateful to God for the endowments they've have received. The psalmist knew this truth as was declared in Psalm 134: 14.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (New International Version)
Many are on the constant look-out on how others live their lives. They tend to copy everything even when it doesn't fit their uniqueness. This often result in a picture of a square peg in a round hole and this causes a misfit which require so much chiseling and amendment to fit. However, this result in a lot of character and value damage which may never be replaced.
Never you want to settle for the chiseling. it destroys form and being. This is the reason for the numerous character crisis that may lead to depression and low esteem in many. We ain't to be like another because we were created different.
Trying to Please the World and your environment
Don't allow people to define you because they will undefine you too. You have to consciously silence the voice around that tries to impose its identity on You. let's learn from the life of John the Baptist in John 1.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23** He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.** 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. (emphasis mine).
Mind all the emphasized part of the above scriptural passage. We see John resolute about his purpose and being. Even when he knew how expectant the Jews were concerning the Messiah, John never took advantage of their anxiety to claim being Christ. This is a tale of a man who understood purpose. He stuck to his purpose even unto death.
How often do you shift ground of your identity just to please the quest of the people around you. However, this will always be for a man who has not known his purpose. We all have to seek our purpose, discover it and live it out.
Even our Lord Jesus Christ was firm to holding up to his identity in the face of temptation. Remember, we were wonderfully made and only God holds the blueprint of our lives and not the devil. Satan has no blueprint about you, all he wants is that you shift grounds of your identity.
In verse 17 of the Luke 3, we saw God making a declaration that Jesus is his beloved son whom he pleases to own and identify with. "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This was the right source of the identity of Christ Jesus. However, we see another scene in Chapter 4 of Luke where Satan tries to play around with Christ's identity.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (emphasis mine)
It was not a matter of the bread, it was a case against the identity of Christ Jesus. Also mind the emphasis I made in the verse quoted above. Satan tries to link Jesus' identity to bread. No, Christ wouldn't succumb to that. Whether or not the stones were turned to bread, Jesus Christ remained the son of God, hence, there was no need to act at the prompt of satan.
We have to be careful lest Satan tries to make us doubt our identity with his subtle nature. There is nothing to proof to the devil. God alone defines our lives.
It is my earnest prayer that as you read this piece would be desiring in knowing God's purpose for your life and actually living it. May your life never be chiseled to fit where you were not created for - Amen.
God bless you.
@Heartchurch set at beneficiary to part of this post's rewards.