Our Movement is His Mission

We often build our identity on what we do without realizing it. Some clues that we have placed our identity in something besides Jesus are that surrounding whatever we are putting our identity in are negative emotions and behaviors, such as getting easily angered, anxiety, the inability to rest, obsessive thoughts, getting easily offended, becoming hurtful towards others, being boastful, the inability to let go of control. Some clues that we are finding our identity in Christ are the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). This fruit naturally grows in us as we find our identity in Christ. Yet, the world would tell us that we need to find our identity in what we do. We lock eyes on a finish line and do everything we can to make it, but what happens when we cross that finish line? What’s next? When we live for the next promotion, the next pay raise, the next success, the next job, the next achievement, the next car, the next house, the next vacation; we chase things that are temporary and insufficient. When we lose these things, we question who we are. When we find our identity in Christ, we are secure in an identity that is eternal and unchanging. We know who we are and we can live out of that identity. We don’t have to live for what’s next to find who we are, we get to trust in the immovable identity in Christ. Instead of working to achieve an identity, Christ has already done the work to achieve it for us. There’s nothing left for us to do but receive what we have been given. Reflection/Discussion Question: What are you noticing yourself finding your identity in that isn’t Christ?

We may be preoccupied with perfection, but our idea of perfection is entirely wrong. First of all, perfection is subjective. Everyone’s definition of perfection is going to be slightly different, so we cannot give perfection a single definition according to human standards. Second of all, our mere human ideas of perfection are actually “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) in God’s eyes. While we pursue wealth, success, happiness, and an idealistic, worldly life, we don’t realize that our pursuits are futile and will lead to death.  We measure our identity and self-worth on how good of a job we do, but God measures our identity based on how good of a job Jesus did. Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life in our place. Jesus was perfect—we cannot be. Jesus is enough—we are not. So, what does perfection look like? It looks like loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself. It looks like willingly sacrificing everything to love even your enemies. Perfection looks like laying yourself bare before God in authentic and raw prayer. It looks like following God’s will, even when it doesn’t make sense in the eyes of the world. This perfection was achieved for us, now it is only a gift to be received. Once we receive Christ’s gift of holiness, we don’t have to pursue the filthy rags we used to call perfection. Reflection/Discussion Question: How does the Gospel help you understand true perfection?