I read an interesting concept recently in a book by Richard Rohr titled Immortal Diamond. The overall theme of the book is that we need to find our true selves in order to be most useful to God and to fulfill the plan He has for us while on earth.
The author posed this question – when we face difficult or even tragic events, do we adopt that as our identity, or do we look at it as a gift? For example, assume someone’s business fails. Rohr says that person tends to make that their identity and view everything through that lens. “I am a failure in business” or “I can’t be trusted with responsibility of running a business” or “nobody will ever trust me enough to do business with me again because I failed”. This can become our new identity if we allow it to.
That brings us to today’s scripture, which is from James 1:2-4:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Richard Rohr suggests a way to avoid allowing difficult times to define us. He says that as Christians, our true identity is in Jesus and that we are beautiful, worthy children of a risen savior. We are completely and permanently justified by faith, and we have been relieved of the condemnation, guilt, and penalty of sin thanks to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
He says that if we confidently claim our true identity in Jesus, we can (and should) view difficult times as a gift instead of allowing these experiences to falsely identify us. The gift may come in many forms and will help make us more mature and complete, as referenced in today’s scripture.
Of course, at the moment tragedy strikes, it is nearly impossible to immediately say “wow, I’m glad that happened and I really appreciate that gift”. These events sting and are highly disruptive factors in our lives. But eventually, if we are looking for it, the gift will be revealed to us.
- Do you agree that it is easy to allow tragedy to define us if we don’t do something to alter our thinking?
- When we say our identity is in Jesus, what does that mean to you?
- Have you had any tragic experiences that turned out to be an unexpected gift?
- Is there anything in your past that you’re allowing to define you? If so, what can you do to let that go?
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