Stolen identities, Stolen Lives

Who are you? And why are you here? Do you know? Do you know your purpose? Rick Warren wrote a good book that is a great help in understanding not only your purpose but also who you are in Christ. If you haven’t read Purpose Driven Life then you need to get a copy and read it! There is an even better book that tells us who we are. Compiled through the centuries, written by many different authors, the Bible has been called God’s love letters to mankind. The God of all creation left his world, heaven, and entered man’s world, the earth, in the form of a baby. John told us that the word became flesh and dwelt for a while among us. Why did he do that? I think he did it because of an almost incomprehensible love for his creation. He also knew that by redeeming his creation from the destruction intended by the enemy, he could spend eternity with us.

I think that our enemy wants us to believe that our worth is determined by our performance, that our value is determined by how much we do for God. He wants us to believe that if we spend much time depressed, angry, or worried then we are second-class Christians. Jesus said that our enemy is a liar, the father of lies, that when he lies he speaks his native language. We know from scripture that he can be very subtle. Statements such as “Life should be easy” and “Life should be fair” might seem true. But living in a depraved and fallen world there is much that is hard and unfair about life.

John read to us from Psalm 13 and talked about how David was in despair about his life, his being, and his relationship with God. I attended Dwight’s Life Group this Sunday and heard him explain how Elijah experienced despair and depression following his triumph over the prophets of Baal. Depression and despair that Elijah experienced, that David experienced, are unfortunately common experiences of the human condition, even among Christians. Some experts say that maybe up to half the population will experience depression at some time in their life.

What is the solution to these lies and to overcoming despair and depression? John told us Sunday morning. In his first passage Colossians, chapter 3, Paul tells us to “set our hearts on things above” and to “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.” And then he told us that David in Psalm 13 awoke from his despair and said, “I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me.” I know personally how hard this is sometimes. But when we struggle, God gave us each other to strengthen and encourage us. He even said that we are to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

If you haven’t done it yet, join a Life Group. It is in relationships that we can receive the best of what God has planned for us.


Gil Martin