Who am I?
Good morning from Westminster, MD!
Who am I? It is a question that has been asked for all of time. The idea of discovering our “origin” and what that says about us is an elemental desire humans have, whether they admit or not. The success of services like “23 and Me” should be no surprise to us- we have been tracing our ancestry for generations upon generations. All the way back to Ancient History, the lineage of a person has mattered. “Who am I?” is more than a question and the answer is more than a list of names or genetic markers.
The question of who we truly are is really a question of do we really matter. Does my life have value? Am I an accident or was I put here on purpose? As much as the “collective we” tries to deny the need for an answer to this question our actions give us away. We want to know why we exist and if existence is more than just existing. Who I believe that I am shapes who I believe I am becoming.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13, NIV) Those words were uttered by David of “David and Goliath” fame, and tell us how David answered the question, “Who am I?” David saw himself not as a cosmic accident, but rather a creation created by the Creator of the Universe with great intentionality. This perspective provided David great hope, especially when he faced devastating circumstance. Who David believed that he was shaped what he believed was possible for his life.
The same can be said of us. Our answer to the question “Who am I?” can bring us great hope or lead us to great despair. To know you were created by a good God who desires the best for you changes the way you see your world. What was once hopeless can become hopeful. What was once meaningless can become full of meaning.
Your life is meaningful. Do you believe it? The answer matters.
– James Belt
In2theRiver 