My Failed College Dream!

When I was in high school, I couldn't wait for college.  I was tired of the hyped up high school drama and I couldn't wait to move on!  My idea was; I would leave high school and I could start completely all over.  I could "create" myself a new image.  No one in college would know that I was a nerd.  I could highlight all my cool accomplishments, and no one would know any of my faults.  Now that I think of it, my high school dream was exactly what facebook offers today; all the highlights and none of my faults. My goal was to create a great life and get that elusive girlfriend I had been longing for!

The dream was based on the idea; that I was in control of my image!  I was responsible of creating myself.  But, as I look back, I see how far I was from the truth.  I don't have the ability to create myself, nor did I create myself.  My identity, which seemed elusive, was found outside myself.  My identity, my image is found completely in the OTHER!

Looking at life, it is clear: our whole life is meant to be described in the other!  I became a brother because I had sisters.  I became a son because I had a mother and father.  I became a boyfriend because there was a girlfriend.  This is a profound reality of God.  TheTrinity of persons are found in relationship to the other (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).  And if we are truly made in the image and likeness of God, we too, will find our identity in the other!

But everything in this world, even relationships come and go: my girlfriend is long gone and so is my title as a boyfriend.  In a world of professions; a teacher is a teacher as long as there are students.  Likewise a doctor is only a doctor as long as they have patients (so what if they have a MD degree, but don't have any patients)!  When my grandparents passed away, am I still a grandson? If my parents were to pass, would I still be their son?  Well yes, but only because of my Christian understanding that they are still alive in heaven. Otherwise, I would lose that identity and part of who I was as well!

If we are to keep a sense of identity of who we are, we need to have a relationship with someone who is not temporary!  A relationship that never fades.  What is the Christian Gospel all about?  It's about bringing us in relationship with God the Father.  We are his children because of our particular relationship we have with Jesus Christ the Son.  When all relationships fail, and our identity seems completely lost, this will remain (if we acknowledge it or not).

We need to re-gain our identity and source.  The identity of being God's son's and daughters.  "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!" (1 Jn 3:1)

If we want to get back to being satisfied with who we are - we can't hide from the need to dive into that particular relationship with God.  No job, no exercise (Cross fit, lifting, or run - I speak to myself in this comment), no relationship on this earth will ever satisfy our longing in our hearts or reveal to us who we really are!  Only in a sense of confidence in our relationship with God can we face the crosses of this world, even death.

This is why taking time to pray EVERYDAY is so important! It grounds our identity, not in something that fades in time, but will remain for all eternity.  Don't try to live my college dream; the ability to create yourself! Realize that you find purpose and strength in the other.   Don't deny yourself the ability to stand in confidence and proclaim the prayer that Jesus taught us: "Our Father."