In Christ

   This week is a short school week for me. Easter break starts on Friday. I am excited. It will be nice to spend some time with my family, celebrating our risen Lord and Savior. This will be the last time I go home until I am done with school for the year. I have been going home every other weekend to work, but I want to focus on my school work as the year comes to an end. I also want to spend as much time as I can with the friends I have made here before we all go our separate ways over the summer. I am abundantly blessed by the people here and want to finish off the school year with them. 
   God has been continually reminding me that my identity is in Him and in Him alone. I have been experiencing the peace that comes from resting in my Father's plan. God has been showing me the strength and confidence He provides when I my identity is in Him. I have no reason to be fearful or intimidated by anything because my worth is from God. It is determined by this world. God has been reminding me who I am in Christ.
   So often we get caught up in what the world's opinion of us is. We receive so many false messages about who we are every day and fall into the trap of believing that they are truth. We doubt if our personalities or appearance are good enough. We question our self-worth. We believe the lies about what we should be like or how we should act. We become confused and disappointed because we keep searching for solutions that will never fulfill the longing we are trying to fill. I find myself doing this often and I become frustrated. I am so thankful for a faithful God, One that never gives up on me and pursues my heart relentlessly. 

   Our joy and security is robbed when we begin to compare ourselves to the world's standards. We lose self-confidence because our confidence is relying on faulty circumstances. When we put our hope and identity in Christ alone, we are filled with His peace and experience His love. We are a new creation. We are forgiven and free. Our future may be unknown to us, but we can be reassured that our God will make it clear to us in His time as we seek His plan for our lives. In Christ, we have a purpose on this earth.