If you enjoy or follow sports, success is defined by winning and losing. Despite how many victories a team earns over the course of a season, if a championship is not won, fans lose hope. In the meantime, coaches, players and stars who endure humiliating loses in the playoffs are labeled as chokers, overrated and trashed throughout social media. Those who seek to self identify themselves using these standards will experience disappointment, failure and shame unless titles are won. Thus, its not uncommon for people to go through some sort of identity crisis.
Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant, 1 Corinthians 13:4.
Non-athletes tend to use a different set of standards. Depending upon your career choice, degrees earned and annual salary, value is placed upon your life. Intelligence, social status and wisdom add or subtract to how the world views your importance. Anyone called into the ministry, social work or has a low paying jobs are looked down upon by the upper class. If you let this bother you, then you may be tempted to adopt worldly standards. The longer you allow yourself to be defined by rich or poor, wins or losses and success or failure, the more likely you will go through a spiritual identity crisis.
It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening], 1 Corinthians 13:5-7.
When I moved to Chicago after getting married, living among millionaire neighbors, I tried to fit in initially. Unfortunately, the best job I could find was making thirty thousand dollars a year, chump change to everyone around me. Attending Willow Creek Community Church on Wednesday nights helped alter my perspective. As I began to hear, read and meditate upon God’s standards in the Bible, my soul was comforted by the fact God keeps no records of wrong. Therefore, if you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to the world’s standards, use biblical principals to overcome any spiritual identity crisis that you may endure.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 