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📖 Who Am I?
The search for identity is today's age.
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Hi, I’m Leonard. Aaron and Jon invited me as a guest writer for today. I don’t know why – perhaps they’re afraid the newsletter is simply becoming too good 😂.
Just like Aaron I don’t hold a theology degree, so I guess a good title for my contribution would be: Leonard’s Leapings.
In day-to-day life, I work as a software engineer. What I’m interested in is figuring out how Biblical teachings are relevant to our daily lives and how that connects to how we experience life.
Who am I?
We all need to make big decisions in life.
What to study, which church to attend, whether or not to this this newsletter, and so on. How you make these decisions has everything to do with what you find important in life, and, ultimately, with who you are — your identity.
But it’s a tough question to answer, who am I?
In my current search for a job, I also regularly find myself asking that question. I started thinking about my dreams and desires, my qualities, my values, etc. Society taught me to look inward in order to find out who I am.
And yes, it is super valuable to know what makes us tick.
It is absolutely necessary for having some sense of direction in life, instead of going around like a bouncy ball. But taking that as the foundation of your identity seems a bit frail. Sometimes it’s downright impossible to figure out what you really want.
Sometimes, whatever happens inside of me is subject to change.
One moment I want this, the other moment something completely different. And sometimes I also notice I am full of contradictions.
How then can we find out who we are?
Recently, I stumbled upon the following phrase: it is not about who I am, but whose I am.
Let me explain by giving an example. When Moses is called by God to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses resists and asks the question who am I? (Exodus 3:10-12)
And God doesn’t go on to tell Moses about him being super qualified growing up as an Egyptian prince with a great education and all that.
No! Instead, He turns Moses’s focus away from himself and towards God.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
That’s also what the text above indicates.
Jesus spoke the above words in the context of denying ourselves and following Him. In other words, turning our attention away from ourselves and towards Him.
It all seems very similar to finding happiness. If your goal is to find happiness and that’s what you pursue, you will never be happy.
Happiness can only be found as a byproduct.
Finding your identity works the same way. Turning inwards is helpful, but doesn’t give the full picture. The key to finding yourself is to set your focus on God and learning more about Him and following Him.
And it’s two for the price of one.
By getting to know God more intimately — you will get to know yourself more intimately.
Be Blessed,
Leonard,
Theophilus Newsletter
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