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BY RICK WARREN
“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” (John 8:12 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.
This is the principle of identity. As
long as you are unsure of your identity, you’re going to be pressured to fit
into other people’s molds.
They will manipulate you. They will
try to make you into what they think you ought to be, rather than what God made
you to be.
One of the major causes of stress
comes from trying to be somebody you’re not.
When you are fearful that someone’s
going to find out what you’re really like and that you might not be able to
keep up the façade, it causes stress.
The only way you can counterbalance
outside external pressures is to have an internal sense of satisfaction about
who you are and who God made you to be.
You discover who you are by
knowing whose you are.
The Bible says that you were created
by God. You are deeply loved by him. You are accepted as you are. He has a plan
for your life.
Until you settle this issue of
identity, you will be insecure and you will be pressured by stress. You cannot
serve other people until you settle this issue.
Jesus constantly did things that
surprised everybody else. He put himself below others and served them.
None of the disciples would have ever
thought to wash each other’s feet in the Upper Room because of their
insecurity.
But Jesus always served from a
position of strength. He knew who and whose he was, so it didn’t matter that he
lowered himself to serve them.
Service comes from self-esteem. Until
you overcome your insecurity and feel good about yourself, you won’t feel like
helping anyone else.
Be secure in who you are and whose
you are so that you can effectively serve others.
Talk It Over
· What are the
differences between what the world and others say about you and what you
believe God says about you?
· What does it mean
to serve from a position of strength?
· Why do we serve
more effectively when we are secure in our identity in Christ?
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global
influencer. The various ministries Pastor Rick has created are a multi-faceted
expression of his heart to bring the whole Gospel to the whole world.
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