What are you made of?
There has been a lot of talk lately, in some circles, about pronouns. People want to be identified by who they believe they really are. So, who are you? Who are we? Some pronouns are related to titles and jobs. I’m a teacher, but I’m so much more than that. I am who I am.
Because everyone has a Mom and Dad, we all have masculine and feminine qualities. Should we live divided in our own minds by ignoring parts of who we are? More importantly, do we ignore our real selves by focusing on the desires of our bodies?
Today’s post points to a page on this site that explores the DNA of true faith. As we mature, we learn to become a whole person. Unfortunately, society can influence us in ways that prevent us from appropriately honoring all of our parts. I hope we look deeper into our true selves, strengthening all of who we are.
“The Lord is my hope. With him I shall not be lost, and through his praise he made me, and through his goodness he gave me common objects, and through his beauty he set me on high.
He led me out of the depths of Sheol and saved me from the mouth of death. I laid my enemies low, and he justified me through his grace. I believed in him. I believed in the messiah, and he came to me and showed me his sign and led me by the way of his light.
He also gave me the rod of his power to subdue the dreams of others, to bring down the mighty, to make war through his word and find victory through his power. By his word, the Lord overthrew my enemy, who was like stubble blown away in the wind. I praise him on high who exalts me, his servant. He has exalted the son of his handmaid.”
Song #29
Odes of Solomon
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Balance
Because our natural selves are “at war” with our spiritual selves, we need balance. Our true nature, if we have faith in Our Father, is spiritual. The Holy Spirit helps us balance the unseen forces that try to prevent us from honoring our connection to our heavenly Father. We each need to allow the Father to strengthen us as we grow closer to him, knowing the weakness of our natural selves due to our own desires.
greater than the sum of its parts
1 Corinthians 13:13 describes faith, hope, and love as alive through the use of the word abideth, which denotes a continuation of life. When mature and balanced, these eternal characteristics of the Father help us to operate as his children. Building relationship with the Father allows him to add to us as we submit to him and his ways.
Maturing in faith
The addition of knowledge and wisdom to the DNA of faith grows maturity. There is a lot to know, and no one knows it all. Maintaining a willingness to learn and self-assess in all situations can help us to be successful at living a life of faith.