Living for Eternity

I realized something last night that has been slowly working its way into my brain: I've been living from my past instead of living for eternity.

Um ... what?

Yeah ... living from my past. I have been viewing myself as someone who has walked away from sin but still has a sign hanging around her neck, advertising her past guilt. I have been surprised and humbled when people trusted me because I thought it was in spite of what I had done. And to be honest, there may be some people who do think that way. But God doesn't, and that's all that matters.

This past Thursday at the Alpha Net one of the leaders spoke about integrity and his word hit me hard. He spoke about when people say "I've been free from (type of sin) for 7 months ... 8 months ... etc" and not glorifying the work that God has done in them. Not that we can't celebrate a life lived in freedom, but his point was that when we are concentrating on our sins we are glorifying it instead of God.

So last night I realized that I had been identifying myself from my past sin and wasn't walking in freedom because I thought everyone else still saw me that same way. And the truth is, they still might. And I cannot change that. But one thing alone do I want to be my identity: Beloved of God. I'm going through Beth Moore's study of John right now and it's amazing. I want to be so sure of how much God loves me that I identify myself by His love. Beloved, you can too. Because I am not the only one who is His Beloved. He loves you JUST AS MUCH as He loves me. Just as much as He loves your pastor, your youth pastor, that person who always seems to get everything right, nd that person who always seems to get everything wrong. He even loves those who don't believe in Him.

I challenge you to really evaluate yourself and ask God how you define yourself. The result may be painful but the burden dropped will transform your life.