Who Am I?

Life is not just a journey towards a destination. It is a journey that is fraught with mountain tops and valleys, highs and lows. Life at times appears stagnant when one just seems to travelling in circles. Challenges in life have a way of making us lose our perception of who we really are. The blows of life are first aimed at our perception of who we are. Perception is critical in the way of life. When one loses their perception of what are the riches they possess ,the battles of life lead only to defeat.

Life has been hard for many because of the recession and associated cuts by the different governments. How we perceive ourselves will affect how we come out of this fight. Recently, a student of law wrote to his dean of university requesting for a refund of his fees so that he returned to his  former career. The said student has his shares of challenges from debt to impending fatherhood. All valid reasons for him to slow down his pursuit of a better life and return to his previous routine. But wouldn't that kill his dream? His current circumstances are a challenge to his dream which in turn has caused him to perceive life through the eyes of his circumstances. As I thought about the circumstances we all face in  life I realised that each issue  of life challenges ones perception of him or her self. Life will always offer contracts that change our perception of ourselves. It's our responsibility to see the offers and weigh them carefully,not accepting everything.

 

How we see ourselves is critical to success. No one ever succeed in life without a mental picture of wholeness of who they really are. Check out the stories of anyone in the Forbes list of the wealthiest people. They never changed their perception of who they were and what they were capable of achieving irrespective of the challenges besetting the acheivement of their dreams. They understood the importance of having the correct perception of themselves no matter the hurdles they faced they overcome. 

The bible tells us of a people who moved out of bondage by divine intervention and providence, yet they failed to achieve their stated goal. A dream they held of reaching somewhere became a mirage because of the enemies they would face. The bible in Numbers 13:33 is clear they saw themselves as grasshoppers and the enemies agreed. God was not in the equation, which ultimately led to failure. How you see yourself is how life will see you!! How you perceive yourself is who we will see you as!! The stories of their crossing the Red Sea were common news but misplaced identity and lack of confidence in the God who had brought them out led to failure. Paint your mind with the correct picture of who you are and even giants in life will speak differently of you. Caleb was perceived to be off a different spirit because he saw the situation  facing the people differently Numbers 14:24.

My purpose today is not to rail you because of a poor perception. It's to cause you to adjust your perception of yourself that you may rise and take your dreams. Many people today are defined by standards other than the Word of God. Beauty is defined by models on the next top model show whereas God has already qualified your status as a beauty and wonder to behold!! If you see beauty within we will all see it because nothing God created was ugly.

Success is not materialistic. In a recent visit to Westminister Abbey I realised that I have a responsibility not to acquire possessions as the world defines success but to leave a legacy that influences lives. Today success is defined by standards that are destructive in the long run. Yes it's good to have possessions but how many lives will you have affected? Success today is about Me, Myself and I. Walking in Westminister Abbey I enountered lives of many who defined success as touching other lives thus spurring them to greatness. Your perception of who you are will determine your eulogy in life.

Don't allow life to define you. Circumstances are simply steps on the path of destiny. Define life as you make choices based on your identity in God. I am made in the image of God and in His likeness-Genesis 1:26. That means when I look at myself in the mirror I am not a shadow but an expression of God. To be like someone or something is to have the qualities of that thing or person. As I am made in His likeness I have the same capacities within me. I cannot allow life to run me. I have an authority that is ordained of God. Challenges will be there but they are only an opportunity for God to show off what He has deposited in you and I. Pay a visit to God's Spec Savers and save yourself the pain of incorrect eyesight due to a poor perception of who you are! The Word of God will show you your identity and correct any anomalies in your perception of who you are.