identity

This last week I've been thinking a lot about identity. Everybody has their identity placed in something, but it's not necessarily the right thing. When we look at what our identity is, we see where our perceived purpose in life lies. The things we invest our lives in tend to be what we see as important, or perhaps for some, just what is necessary to keep things ticking over and to keep living.

I'd been thinking about what I'm doing with my life once I graduate - I'm intending on working for a year with my church - and I'd been thinking about how I have no real idea of what I will do at the end of it. I'd kind of been wishing that I knew where my future was headed in terms of a career, thinking that at least if I knew I was going to be a doctor, for example, I would have security in that. But the reality is that whatever we do with our lives, it is not forever. Our lives here on earth really are just a fleeting moment in the space of eternity. Ecclesiastes 3: 11 says,

' He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men...'

And actually, whilst it might seem like having a career set out before you is a security, the reality is that that could change at any moment. For some unknown reason, you could lose your job without any warning. If that happened, where would you stand? Have you rested your hopes on your job? You might not even like your job but it's still possible to have your hope in it. The most important thing is that whatever we do, our security is not in that specific thing, but in giving God the glory in those things.

So although I don't know where I'm headed in this life in terms of a job, I need not worry because God knows, and actually, how would it benefit me to know, if I were to place my security in that rather than God? I was chatting these things through with a wise friend of mine, mr Martin Wicks, and he told me about a church leader, who said he got really sad when people came to him, saying they were worried and fearful because they did not know what they should do with their lives, because, in 1 Thessalonians, Paul encourages us to

'Be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ.'

This is what we are called to do. This is God's will for my life. It's as simple and as wonderful as that. Life isn't about what we think we should be doing with our lives, it's about what God is calling us to do with the life that He has given us - the life that He was responsible for creating - the life which He saved for eternity by sending His Son to the cross for us. Amazing.