It's not just a Hollywood movie phenomenon or a term used by bohemian backpackers who travel the world to do it, whether you're aware of it or not, at some point in your life, it might even be now, you've sought to find yourself.
Lots of people think they need to get away to discover who they really are, what their purpose in this life is and what they really want. And in many ways they're right. We need to separate ourselves from the polluting influences that cloud our understanding of our place and purpose. Certain things that prevent us from acknowledging our true identity include our jobs, our lifestyles, the messages we consume through mainstream media and advertising, even our friends can inadvertently stop us from seeing who we really are.
But realising who we really are takes more than getting away from it all, it requires us to get closer to God. We discover our true identity when we find and follow Christ. But even church-attending, Bible-reading believers, can be susceptible to losing sight of who they really are at times.
Here are just three of things that you find out about yourself when you find God.
You find that your life has true meaning
Abusive relationships, bullying, being put on a pedestal by peers and being spoiled by parents or neglected by them can all shape the way we see ourselves. Whether you've spent your life surrounded by people who built you up or those who broke you down, you can end up with a mistaken view of how much you matter. But there's no mistaking how much you matter to Jesus. He gave his life for you. When you find out that someone was willing to sacrifice their life so that you can live yours to the full, you can't help but see that you mean an incredible amount to someone. Failing to accept that your life has great value means disregarding the fact that Jesus says it does.
You become certain of your capacity to be loved and to love
As a result of your past or because of what people have told you or led you to believe, you may feel that you're unloveable or incapable of loving. When you find God or rediscover His presence in your life, you can't help but feel incredibly loved. With that tremendous love comes a realisation that you can love and be loved by other people too, and a great urge to share it with others.
You realise your purpose
Your job is used to define you in so many circumstances that it's easy to forget that you are not what you do. The conversation about who you are doesn't end with your occupation it begins with your identity in Christ. When we find God we find out what kind of person He wants us to be. He calls for us to be kind, forgiving, generous, courageous, bold, wise, humble and so much more. It sounds like a lot, but we can do all these things with his help when we give our hearts to Him. Once we can place God in our lives, we're in a much better position to hear and listen to His voice. It's that same voice that tells us what we're to do as an individual in order to serve Him. It's that voice that helps us find out things about ourselves that we'd never have known otherwise.
