In John 8:12 I read, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (NIV)
When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”, he was defining himself. He was saying, “I know who I am.”
At least 18 times in the Bible, Jesus said, “I am”, and then gave a description. He described himself as the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. Over and over, he defined himself. Jesus knew who he was (and still is) and, as a result, he was not under pressure.
Jesus understood his identity, and it’s crucial that I understand mine as well.
When I’m unsure about my identity, I’ll be pressured to fit into other people’s molds. They will try to make me what they think I should be, rather than who God made me to be.
Stress comes from trying to be somebody I’m not, when I fear I’ll accidentally drop my façade and people will discover who I really am.
The way to counterbalance external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about who God made me to be. I discover who I am by knowing who I belong to.
The Bible says I was created by God. I am deeply loved by him. I am accepted as I am. He has a plan for my life. When I understand this, I’ll find myself free to serve others.
Jesus constantly did things that surprised everyone else, because he was free; he felt no pressure to meet people’s expectations. He chose to serve others, regardless of how it might be perceived. He washed his disciples’ feet, something they were too insecure to do for each other. Jesus always served from a position of strength. He knew who and whose he was.
If I want to live in the same freedom Jesus did, I’ll find security in knowing that I am a dearly loved and accepted child of God. There’s no need to pretend to be anyone else.
In summary, Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” When Jesus said this, he was defining himself. He was saying, “I know who I am.” At least 18 times Jesus said, “I am”, and then gave a description. He described himself as the door, the bread of life, the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life. Jesus knew who he was and, as a result, he was not under pressure. Jesus understood his identity, and it’s crucial that I understand mine. When I’m unsure about my identity, I’ll be pressured to fit into other people’s molds. Stress comes from trying to be somebody I’m not, and when I fear I’ll accidentally drop my façade and people will discover who I really am. The way to counterbalance external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about who God made me to be. I discover who I am by knowing who I belong to. I was created by God and deeply loved by him. I am accepted as I am. He has a plan for my life. When I understand this, I’ll find myself free to serve others. Jesus constantly did things that surprised everyone, he felt no pressure to meet people’s expectations. He chose to serve others, regardless of how it might be perceived. Jesus always served from a position of strength. If I want to live in the same freedom Jesus did, I’ll find security in knowing that I am a dearly loved and accepted child of God. There’s no need to pretend to be anyone else.
Father, thank you for wanting me. I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. I want to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. Father, I ask for your help to not be pressured to meet others' expectations. Allow me to serve knowing who I am and that belong to you.
I ask for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my preparation for my new future job, and finishing well in my old one. I ask these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.
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