What defines me?

What defines me?

The correct answer would be Christ, right? But it's so easy for me to place my value in something else, and before I realize it, "it" decides to sneak attack me like a psycho billy ninja. Or it's as obvious as a brick wall to the face. Have you ever walked straight into something before? How unexpectedly painful is that? But after you get over the initial shock and embarrassment, you become more aware of the wall, and make it a point not to walk into it again (hopefully). And it always happens when we have our attention directed towards something else. This past month I ran into a few psycho billy ninjas and brick walls (hypothetically speaking) and it's been hard on me emotionally. I looked for my value in all the wrong places. I took my eyes off of what God had set out for me, and ended up stumbling. It's one of those obvious things we point out to each other, right? If you don't watch where you're going, you're going to fall.

So, what are some of the things that hold our attention? Better yet, what are some of the lies we believe define who we are?
It could be our parents, our friends, our appearance, our coach, our sport, our money, our job, our education, a boy or a girl we like or are dating, our clothes, our hobbies or talents, our religion, _____ fill in the blank. A lot of the time we try to find our value and self worth through other people, and we end up comparing ourselves to others. When this happens, we begin to feel inadequate and not good enough, because we aren't like ______. But the point is, we aren't suppose to be like them. I know that's an overused statement, but it's true. 

The whole comparing-ourselves-to-others thing can hurt us in our Christian walks (to an extent). I'm not saying it is a bad thing to aspire to be more spiritually mature, but we can't expect ourselves to be at the same place as someone else who has had a relationship with God for a longer period of time. This past summer, a pastor named Matt Orth said something to me that really helped change my perspective on spiritual growth. I get discouraged sometimes when I meet someone who is so tight with God and spiritually mature, because I have no idea how to get where they are and feel at peace with myself and God. Matt Orth told me that our spiritual growth is like a tree. Notice how the bad things like weeds, mold and fungus grow quickly, but the beautiful trees we see take time, and not all of them grow at the same rate or at the same time. We can't let ourselves get discouraged, and we can't compare ourselves to other people. 

But what do I do? I compare myself to someone else and let myself feel inadequate. And then I feel the need to impress them because I really want them to like me. Insecurity plays a big part in getting in the way of the great things God has planned for us. Trying to find security in someone other than God is one of my deepest pitfalls, and I feel like a lot of us fall into that same place at times. So... what do we do...?

We have to immerse ourselves in God's word, hang out with friends who will help us grow closer to Him, and constantly pray to Him about what it is we are struggling with. We need a paradigm shift- we need a complete change in our perspectives. 

I've decided to post the verses and phrases my loving and beautiful sister wrote down for me today to encourage me, I hope they encourage you, too!

Galations 1:10
Proverbs 4:23
Genesis 1:27

Who are you?
You are an heir in Christ (Romans 8:17)
A daughter or son of God (2 Corinthians 6:18)
You are Set apart (Ephesians 4:20-23)
And loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)
Psalm 139:13