Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Have you ever found yourself working so hard for someone else’s approval? Maybe you change the way you dress to get their attention, or you stay up late going over every detail of your project for the third time to make sure yours is the one that gets recognition. The approval cycle is exhausting, isn’t it?
When we confess our need for God and surrender our life over to him, we get to rest in who he is. That kind of rest is a deep breath of joy and freedom.
There is no room for self-righteousness where the gospel is concerned. In today’s reading, Paul reminds us that salvation is closer to us than we realize (Romans 10:5–10). In fact, it’s in our hearts and in our mouths. Jesus has already died and offered forgiveness for our sins and a life of freedom. Now, the ball is in our court. If we publicly acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and believe with our hearts the gospel, salvation is ours. Isn’t that good news?
Jesus offers us rest for our weariness (Matthew 11:29). We exchange a life of guilt and shame for a life of freedom through Jesus. What does this exchange look like?
We consciously reject those thoughts and actions that tell us that our worth is found apart from Christ. We let go of our self-prescribed identities and embrace the identity that God offers us in Jesus.
When we desire a relationship with him, we forget about all of our privileges and claims to fame, as Paul did (Philippians 3:10–14). Paul was eager to reject all the things he could boast in: his heritage, his education, and his standing within the religious community. He let these all go so he could have a relationship with Jesus.
When deciding to let go of our model of self-righteous living and confess our need for God, we are headed toward a life filled with freedom and joy.
Raise the White Flag
What identities or roles have you put confidence in? What will it look like for you to reject this role as your source of identity and formation?
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My identity in What people think of me. Reject the thought of what I think they think and replace it with what God says of me.
I love your identification by replacing God’s view of you!
My job as a teacher and the success that I have seen I n,yes,f and my students. It’s all worth nothing if I did it for myself. And if I did t give the glory to God.
My careers in both education and health are often the earthly achievements on which I hang my identity hat. Both are “noble endeavors”… but at the end of the day, or at the end of this life, it’s not about me. It was never meant to be about me. The focus should be on Christ and HIS goals, HIS plans, HIS purposes…how HE wants to use me to spread HIS love and HIS message. HIS love and truth should be the sole source of my identity.
I have taken on the role as being bad, unworthy of love. I make poor choices on purpose to self pity and make it known I am bad.
I sometimes make gross exaggerated claims or stories to feel better. I believe I have to reject lies, reject stealing, reject false hope.
I feel like if I were to let go of this need for control over myself and everyone and everything, that my world would crumb. Too many spinning plates I haven’t been trusting God to catch.
Self-reliance; piety; "the one who does it all." Wow…SO many people rely on me, because of my efforts to maintain that role…and, all in the name of loving people and "being there for them". So, it might make some people angry, or make them feel like I don’t love them, because the way I’ve "loved" people has been depleting me to almost no return. I know how to communicate clearly, though..so, I will pray the Lord prepare me for possible blow back.
I put so much emphasis or focus on my role of “teacher” that it is hard for me to focus on Christian, Wife, and Mother like I should. To reject this role as my source of identity, I will have to prioritize my focus and energy on God and family more than work and teaching. It will mean that I will not stay at work till 7 or 8 at night instead of spending that time with my husband and kids even if things are not ready for the next week. It will look like to my husband and my children that even though I think that my job is important, it’s not more important than them. It will mean that I will have to let some things go. I will have to let go of always pleasing everyone at work, always having everything planned and ready, always being prepared for the next change that is coming. But I’m doing so, I will be showing my husband and children that God is more important than a job, and even though a job is important, THEY are more important.
I’ve put confidence in the role of a missionary…I didn’t realize it was like wearing a mask. When I took it off it was like freedom. I no longer walked around like I had it all together OR like I had to look like I had it all together. Taking the mask off was like taking the pressure off of myself.
I put confidence in control. I had to be in control of everything. Only when I realized I had no control and I had to give all control over to God did I find my new identity in Christ
Self-righteousness. Thinking doing all this is gaining His favour but, He already loves me so much. So, I need to just rest in Jesus’ love for me and my identity in Him. And know, it is by grace I’m saved, by faith♥️