Whose are you?
In a previous blog I asked the question, “Who are you?” and was intrigued by the Mad Hatter in the New Alice in Wonderland who said to Alice (after her return to Wonderland), “You have lost your MUCHNESS you are not as MUCH as you once were.” There is another question to ask ourselves- “Whose are you?” To whom do you belong? Who gets to define you or what do you allow to define you?
I recently spoke to a crowd of nearly 900 at the AACC World Conference held in Nashville and spoke on “Helping Families with Special Needs Kids.” In this seminar I wanted to leave the audience with the understanding that just because a child has special needs or challenges they are not excluded in God’s promise in Jeremiah where He says, “I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Hope for a better future.” In addition to that, the couple, the family who has a special needs child they are not excluded from that either. My daughter has Asperger’s and often she will say, “I can’t do that I have Asperger’s! or That is too hard for me- I have Asperger’s.” To this I often reply, “Asperger’s is what you HAVE it is not who you ARE! Let’s look at who you are- you are my child that I love very much. You are God’s child so you are made in His image. You are talented and smart and things are challenging FOR you but your challenge does not DEFINE you.”
In that same flow of thought, your past, your childhood, your trauma, that thing you are most ashamed of, your education, your socioeconomic status, those things someone said to hurt you- they DO NOT DEFINE you unless you let them. For believers, we belong to God, as such HE defines us as “Beloved, His Child, Precious, Valuable, worth sending His Son to die for and so much more!” Let us let go of those things from the past- those bondages that try to hold us back and focus on WHO ARE in Christ and WHOSE we are.
As in Overcoming I said I cannot explain why trials an tribulations happen but I know God does NOT MAKE bad things happen to us. Allowing and Making are two different concepts. I do know God is good, faithful, love, holy, just, and He will MAKE all things good according TO HIS WILL AND PURPOSE.
I think of Joseph, who was left for dead by his brothers, sold into slavery, and later in a position not only to save his family but the future of Israel when he said to his family, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” This is echoed in the NT when Paul said “All things work together for GOOD for those ARE IN CHRIST.” That is – those who BELONG to Christ- who are HIS. A speaker at the conference, Mike Huckabee said, “No, not all things ARE good, but we know the ONE who can make things GOOD according to His will and purpose- but we have to LET him.”
I hope those of you reading this- BELONG to Him and know WHOSE you are. If you do not, you can ask Him to forgive you, come into your life, and then you will Belong to Him!