<- that would be the sunrise this morning. thanks for that Jesus :)
It is currently 7 am, and believe it or not, the past 9 or so hours were not spent under my covers. God decided to teach me a lesson or two that ended up lasting all night, and the aftermath is obviously still going strong as I am voluntarily awake right now, with no intention of going back to bed for a while. That in itself should be deemed quite attention-grabbing, as sleep happens to be one of my greatest delights.
So what was it that kept my eyes wide all hours of the night? God is slowly but surely walking me through the realization of my identity in Him-a concept that is fully understood by very few followers of Christ, despite its commonality in the 'Christianese' terminology. Coming to a fully understanding of our identity in Christ is an on-going process that will never be completely realized until we are living in the eternal presence of our mighty God in Heaven..and even then, I personally believe there will continue to be more that He desires to teach us concerning who He has created us to be. So lately I have been given brief glimpses that leave me wanting more and stir up an incredible supernatural hope in realizing who I truly am.
I am a regal princess.
I am His Beautiful One.
I am a Child of God.
I am His Beloved.
I am His Treasure.
I am His Favorite One.
I am made holy and pure in the glory of his grace.
Tonight I was talking with a friend and he shared a beautiful revelation with me: the difference between condemnation and conviction. Condemnation tells us that we are defined by our actions ( ie. I drank alcohol, therefore I am an alcoholic). Primarily, it says that we sin, therefore we are sinners. Conviction tells us that we are called to be holy in Christ. When we stumble, it tells us that we are way too awesome to be acting like that, and we are called to a higher Way. Such a common mistake that I know I am guilty of is living a life of condemnation. The truth is that we were sinners who have been made pure by sanctification in Christ. He has redeemed us, therefore we are no longer sinners. Of course we still sin, but we find freedom in His grace so that our sin does not define who we are.
How incredibly beautiful.
By choosing to live in that condemnation, we are refusing God's astounding gift of love...which is not showing a whole lot of gratitude in my opinion. If we are truly thankful for the love of God that surpasses all understanding, all shame, all sin, then why aren't we fully receiving it?
Receive. -> another puzzle piece in discovering my identity. God is teaching me to release and receive. I must release my old self in order to receive the new creation he is offering me.
Release deceit. Receive Truth.
Release fear. Receive Power.
Release doubt. Receive Faith.
and so on..
Obviously, there is a lot left for God to work on in my life until I reach a point of implementing my identity into a lifestyle...but the glimmer of light that he is shedding on my life is exciting and enticing. I am on an incredible journey with the Most High God, which is allowing me to discover what truly defines Britni Clarice Steiling.
