Experience our newest resource Who Am I? A Devotional Journey For You To Soar In Your Identity In Christ (Sharon Simmonds) with the following excerpt. Available for purchase here
WE CAN HAVE A TENDENCY TO SETTLE WITH THE MESSAGE THAT “I am not enough.”
Sure, we claim all the promises of knowing Christ and living in his resurrection power. But if we’re really honest, we can tend to operate more like a dilapidated vehicle. Poor condition, broken pieces, feeling like one more bump might cause everything to fall apart. The idea that this is normal and acceptable is a lie of the enemy—his way of oppressing and tricking God’s people.
In contrast, God’s people realize that without Christ we are never enough! We’re not wise enough, strong enough, or brave enough to deal with life’s realities.
And, sometimes, we cause trouble for ourselves by making unwise choices or making no decisions at all. We coast along in the same destructive patterns and addictions, wounding ourselves and others, holding on to years of offences and grudges. This is not our true identity in Christ. He breathes into us his desire and call for us to be complete in him. Reflection Q: How does embracing being complete in Christ combat the feelings of “I am not enough”?
The apostle Paul urges God’s people to develop practices that both arm and encourage our identity as being complete in Christ. Philippians 4:4–16 highlights five:
- Get in the habit of celebrating God all day, every day (Phil. 4:4, MSG), to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4, NIV).
- In a spirit of cooperation, let your gentleness be evident to everyone you meet (Phil. 4:5, NIV), working with people and not against them (Phil. 4:5, MSG).
- Don’t be anxious or worried: “Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Phil. 4:6–7, MSG).
- Fill your minds and meditate “on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Phil. 4:8, MSG).
- Learn to be “content in any and every situation” (Phil. 4:12, NIV). Reflection Q: What practice could increase your ability to be content in your current situation?
Being complete is to be whole—not lacking anything, having all the necessary parts, not limited in any way, not requiring more work. If you desire to be reminded of your completeness in Christ (or, more broadly, live from your identity in Christ), our Who Am I? Devotional will anchor your identity in the deep truths of what God says about you. Order your copy (and anchor your life) today: store.arrowleadership.org/shop/who-am-i/
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” Ephesians 3:20, MSG
This is an excerpt from “Complete in Christ”, part of a devotional collection from Who Am I? A Devotional Journey For You To Soar In Your Identity In Christ (Sharon Simmonds). Copyright ©2016 Arrow Leadership. Published by Castle Quay Books. Available for purchase from the Arrow Online Store.
