Frustration is
something I've been pondering in a season where exposure to frustration has
been a cherished opportunity, yet only cherished as a product of later
reflection. Gradually God has been teaching me something about frustration
through my immersion in it. Not that I haven't had significant immersion in
frustration beforehand; just that this season has sprinkled frustration
throughout my experience effervescently.
This is what God has
shown me: frustration is alleviated when identity is addressed in: 1) knowing
our purpose; 2) accepting it; and, 3) embracing it.
Knowing our purpose in
life is crucial. Knowing and accepting are linked, but until we know our
purpose we cannot accept it. Our purpose is more fundamental than we think:
it's being a citizen (of heaven and earth), a son or a daughter, a spouse (if
blessed with a partner), a father or mother (if blessed with children), a
worker contributing into the world of God's Kingdom. Knowing is basic, yet so
many never take the time to reflect on what's right in front of them. Knowing
ourselves is central to knowing who we are in Christ. Knowing ourselves brings
us into confrontation with our purpose.
Yet, knowing our
purpose brings us to a problem: our purpose may be something with which we're
not entirely comfortable. We may not like our lives. We may resent our pasts.
We may not like what's coming in our futures. Our present moments might
rekindle torment, and often. But until we wrestle with these concepts of state,
we cannot accept that which otherwise proves futile. Accepting what we cannot
change is the only platform to growth through undesirable states into something
abundantly better.
Embracing what we now
accept is quite a simple and joyous step. In this space, we find it an honour
to live our ordinary lives to the extraordinary glory of God. Resilient against
the wiles of thuggery that this life casts our way, our joy is able to
transcend the ugly bits of our identity in joining faithfully with God's.
What a blessing it is
to get beyond the desire to escape our lives, to know, to accept, and to
embrace what God's given us freely in His grace.
Identity is a cord
with three ropes: knowing who God made us to be, accepting, then embracing it
for His glory. Such a cord is strong in the identification of our bearing His
image for His purpose.
Purpose and identity
are entwined. Purpose gives meaning to identity and identity propels us
purposefully.
© 2016 S.J. Wickham.
Steve Wickham is a
pastor who holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes
at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Steve_Wickham/145110
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