Who are you?

Close your eyes and open your mind and say, "Who am I?".

Do you have thoughts of yourself as a wonderfully bright light so precious and peaceful and so very loved by God? Do you have thoughts of being totally accepted, having complete confidence and the knowledge of God's blessings in everything you do? Do you have thoughts of no condemnation, purity in spirit and freedom from all forms of bondage?

If not, then you don't know who you are.

You can also ask, "What do people see when they look at me?". If they don't see the same thing, they aren't seeing you for who you really are either. Even when you look at others, are you seeing them for who they really are?

Whether you accept it or not, believe it or not, practice it or not or acknowledge it or not, you are a creation of God; a spiritual being. God didn't create you out of thin air. He took a part of himself and made it into you. That's how he can call us his Sons; his children. We are his offspring in every true sense of the word.

You are not a body. Your body is an important instrument of your spirit; a vehicle, but it is not who you are. Are you disabled or ill? Your body or brain may be disabled or ill, but it is not who you are. It's not possible for your spirit to be disabled or ill. Are you hungry, or tired or depressed or mad? Your spirit can be none of these and therefore those feelings don't reflect who you really are.

It can be difficult to look at a beggar in the street and know that he is a beautiful spirit, just like you, with all the love and peace of God at his disposal. It can be even harder to imagine a mass murderer as a child of God as well, but they both are. We all are. What our bodies look like and the things we often do, have no reflection to what is really inside us and does not reflect often enough as to who we really are.

OK, I know this sounds way out there, but reflect on those thoughts for a moment and let them sink in. God created us in his image, but God does not have a body. God is a spiritual being, as are we, as are you. Your body is just the means by which you can serve God. There is no other purpose for it. It's just a physical manifestation that represents you, but everything physical eventually dies and ceases to exist. Your brain may be the most complicated electrochemical computer ever designed, but it's not who you are, because it dies. You never die because spirits don't die.

Let's go further now. We are also all part of the same spirit. Your body has fingers, hair, kidneys, skin, etc. and they are all part of the same body. No single one of them is the body, but the body is also not complete without them. Likewise, we are all part of the spirit of God. Each of us has our own distinctive purpose and each of us is a vital part of the spirit of God. How well or poorly any one of us does, has impact on all others because we are all of the same spiritual body.

Who am I? I am a Son of God. I am an instrument of Gods will. I am an eternal spiritual being that exists in this physical form but for a split second of my existence. I am a teacher and a student of Gods truths. I am Christ's little brother. I am my Fathers son.

In this world, this reality that our bodies exist in, we need not allow ourselves to feel restricted or held back by its inherent limitations. Nothing is impossible to God and his children. Don't worry about yesterday. Don't concern yourself about tomorrow. Today, today and this moment is the only thing that really exists. Your brain can conjure all kinds of scenarios about your future or dwell relentlessly upon your past, but it can't do anything about them, so why waste your time dwelling there? Focus on now, this moment. Who are you? What would you allow God to do with your life? What is too big for God to handle or figure out? What portion of your future can't he handle? Which of your needs is he unaware of?

When you finally accept the truth that you have no control over your future, then you can give its control back to God, where it belongs. Then you can expect to see God moving in your life. You need to realize that no amount of planning, scheduling or preparation for your future has anything to do with your true happiness and Gods will for your life. Let it all go. All of it. Only then is a happy and blessed future ensured. Only then are you freeing God to help you, bless you, freely talk to you and be one with you.

My favorite verse that sums it all up is Matthew 6:33. Prior to this verse, Christ was explaining how the birds are fed and the flowers are arrayed and that if God takes care of things that will perish shortly, how much more does he desire to take care of us. Then my favorite verse -"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these others things will be added to you". In other words, stop planning and trying to figure out your life and your future and the futures of others and just learn to understand who you really are and how important this moment is between you and God. Then, and only then, will you have untied Gods hands to do for you those things he most desires. Then, and only then, are you guaranteed a happy and blessed future.