(I started to title this post, “Who Am I?” —but I already know the answer.)
Hello, Thursday morning readers, and Happy March! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week so far. Will you join me in a cup of your favorite morning beverage? Mine, of course, is coffee, lightened with a small amount of organic half-and-half.
Who you are may depend on the following facts:
- Who your parents are/were.
- Where you’re from.
- Where you’ve been.
- Education.
- Vocation.
- Attitude.
Yes, that last one is important. No matter what the answer to all the other points are, attitude is a game-changer.
One of the gold-medalists in this year’s winter Olympics, an American woman skier, has a tattoo on her wrist that reads, “I am.” My first impression when I saw it: Wait, that’s blasphemous. That’s the name God gave Himself when He spoke to Moses. “I AM that I AM.”
But when she told about the tattoo, I realized what it meant to her. The small gesture had helped her push through a difficult season and continue to pursue her dreams. Yes, for me, it would border on blasphemy, but for her, it meant something entirely different.
Her attitude has to be one of great self-worth. She has to remember who she is, where she’s come from, what she is able to do (because she has worked hard at it), and where she wants to go in order to succeed. If that looks egotistical, so be it. This is the attitude that sets many athletes apart and pushes them onward to victory.
So, I ask again, Who are You? Who do you think you are? Where have you been, and where are you headed? Have you worked at something to improve yourself?
Sometimes I take my eyes off the horizon, the place I want to end up, and I get lost. I’m confused. I lose focus, which results in loss of hope. So, I need to refocus. Reflect. Reorder. Redirect. Whatever it takes to get myself back on track.
The problem with this is, I’ve lost valuable time in the process. Let’s go back to that skier. She has to stay the course. She has to keep the finish in mind from the beginning of her race. She has to stay focused, so she doesn’t miss a gate, or overshoot a curve. Any one of those things can slow her down, break her concentration, and cost her valuable time.
The same can be said for any of us in our walk through life. An unfocused moment, a missed turn, an untimely response—any of these can cost you—and push you off course. Given these circumstances, how does anyone ever succeed?
Sometimes we have to face “monsters,” or “giants” of discouragement, fear, anxiety, and remorse. Daunting.
When I need reassurance, I turn to one of the oldest books in the world—the Bible. It contains verse after verse that helps reinforce who I am and helps me keep my mind centered on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith. Here are a few of my favorites:
- I’m a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17
- I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10
- I have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16
- I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
- I am more than a conqueror. Romans 8:37
- I have peace that transcends all understanding. Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
Reading through these, I can’t help feeling that I’m part of something greater. So, maybe it’s not so much who I am, but who He is.
Betty Thomason Owens 