Chapter IV-Identity in Him
Shortly after accepting the Lord God Almighty as my Savior, I began to take a full examination of my life in terms of direction. I felt lost. Even though knowing God was watching over everything, the burden about the future was inescapable. For three weeks while still attending a public university I prayed asking the Lord for guidance. One late evening in the spring while feeling frustrated, dazed, and confused the temptation to purchase a pack of cigarettes came out of nowhere. The urge grew so immense that I caved. The pressure was too difficult to handle. My hands began to tremble as anxiety ran through my veins while lighting up. Putting out the ash forced me to face what had just occurred. A feeling of disgusted guilt sank in.
In tears, I sat on my porch praying for an hour in the darkness of the night begging for forgiveness and pleading for help. After letting all of my thoughts and fears out in prayer, I took out my phone to use Facebook. A friend of mine, Amy, who rarely posts anything, happened to appear in my timeline. The post was a sermon on understanding our identities in Christ Jesus! The New Testament book of John chapter fifteen verse five reads, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (Holy Bible- King James Version 1990). My eyes widened as the minister read this verse, and my heart began to beat faster. Not only did God answer my prayer, but He began to teach me what identity as a Christian was in Him.
Since my relationship with the Lord was still in its infancy, I had been approaching God in the wrong fashion. I viewed myself as an adult. Jesus Christ always views us as His children, and everything fruitful flows through Him. The preacher went on to explain that God provides us with His direction. I need to see myself as He views me, I thought. With the Holy Spirit immersed within my heart, I needed to reciprocate through Him rather than my own logic. Before falling asleep, I thanked the Lord for His patience and omniscient instruction in my life.
Stay tuned for Chapter V…
Works Cited
Holy Bible- King James Version . Thomas Nelson Publishers , 1990.
