Striving Ceases When We Know Our Identity
ICS Daily Devotions
Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
We must deal with insecurity and rejection in our lives. Adonijah and Absalom were born to different mothers. They showed signs of rejection and insecurity because of King David’s neglect. King David did not even rebuke Adonijah when he declared himself king! Probably, King David never believed that Adonijah could carry out a military coup against him and succeed. Absalom was offended because King David failed to adequately address the issue of the rape of his sister, which showed how insignificant Absalom’s family was to King David.
Both of them strived to prove their worth, gathered followers to enhance their image, sought recognition, and found it hard to trust authority. They sought power, positions, and approval to fill the void in their lives. Neither of them knew God.
Unbelievers have a void in their lives, so they try to identify with their assets, social status, and social connections to elevate their image. For these individuals, validation must come from others, especially those they respect and esteem. Therefore, they gather influential people around them to boost their self-esteem, and they feel devastated when they have to downgrade their lifestyle because it threatens their identity. They crave attention and validation; compete for position and never allow their successors to appear more successful than themselves.
As believers, we don’t have a void in our lives after receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, nor do we need to hold a leadership role to prove our worth because we have a new identity in Christ. We are children of the living God, and address Him as our Heavenly Father. God is the Father to the fatherless. The root of rejection was dealt with at the cross when Jesus was rejected. God turned His face away from Him because our sins were placed on Him. As a result, we are accepted in the Beloved; we are unashamed because we have imputed righteousness and the ability to stand before God as if we had never sinned. Once we’ve settled this truth in our hearts, all striving for positions of importance or leadership ceases. Knowing who we are in Christ is priceless because it brings great joy, love, and peace.
When we have a proper foundation in Christ, we will not compete for positions through church or company politics, but will trust that God will promote us in due time according to His plan. We will also ensure that our successor is well briefed, introduced to all partners and clients, and continue to support them to the best of our ability. As Christians, we should go the extra mile to help our successors, because everything we do is for Christ, and our goal is to bring glory to God. Failing to support our successor shows that our achievements are for self-glorification, and our works will go up in smoke when tested at the judgement seat of Christ.
Sermon Series: Walk into your Calling
