Friday, September 5, 2008

An Illusive Island


As I look through my old photos, I laugh and I even cry. Sometimes I cry because I am laughing so hard looking at some of the photos. At different times in my life I may have shown my internal and exteranl struggles through the appearances I chose, though overall most of my childhood I spent as a tomboy.
For many years I went from group to group trying to find my niche. I felt I never would. Sometimes my need to belong brought me to roads of anguish and questioning God's love and questioning what God really meant for my life. It brought me to a point of questioning the dreams I had from the time I was a child of being married and having children of my own. It brought me to a point of questioning my own beliefs. I began to push everyone at least to hands length away from me and become the illusive island God never intended. I was to belong but I needed to see that belonging didn't mean finding a where but a who to belong to.
One need we instinctively have as human beings is to belong. Abraham Maslow, a well known psychologist, even created an entire theory of self actualization with this belief included in it. More important than this though, God knows we have this need.
Romans 7:4
So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."
We were created for Him. We do have a place to belong. Some try to belong in a lifestyle. Others try to belong in groups, whether it be through their career path or their vocation. Others try to belong based on whether they are a mom or dad or whether they have a certain amount of money, or a certain fashion style they have taken on, or by the cars they drive. Some even try to belong by the church or the denomination they choose. It isn't going to matter whether it is a group in or outside of a church or an activity we are trying to belong to in the end. I recently read in Straight On Till Morning by Jess "But I know that in the sadness, He really will be faithful. He is teaching me to be deeply content in His Presence - not in a particular group of people or set of activities. He wants my whole heart - and He hasn’t had it for a while. I will continue to step forward - even in the sadness. I’ve grieved before - and I know the way out of it is to simply to keep moving." No matter where we are at we are going to know His prescence. The group is not going to matter. What is going to matter is who our heart belongs to.
Romans 1:6
"And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

1 comment:

Jess said...

ooooooooo - i just got back from a weekend with my family...my husband got sick in the middle of it...my five year old drew with nail polish all over her favorite doll....sigh...

but this...this makes me smile today.

thank you for being wonderful!

love
jess