You are not "You" Part 1

You are not “You.”

You are not your own, you where never meant to be.

Your identity, your ego, your personality, your free will;

Your name, your face, your body and mind, your story, your memories;

Your wants, your needs, your desires, your faith, your very life—

As if these things were truly yours to own, as if you were completely in control and the center point of existence.  As if all of these God-given things were handed over to you to do with as you please, to identify as you will. 

You are not You, You are not your own, you were never meant to be.

Paul sums up the declaration of Christian living quite nicely in the following:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2.20)

Anyone familiar with my past ministry work may remember the countless times I taught from this verse: In fact, it permeated everything I ever said in any class and every sermon.

We were never meant to be the walking-talking-egos that we are today.  All of these ‘things’ – our identity, our personality, our story, etc.—they were handed to us freely as gifts.  Gifts that—as we matured and began to understand our true identity in faith, as Christians, in Christ—we’re supposed to freely hand back.

Roughly three years ago I decided to stop trying to be “Me” and empty myself in order that Christ might start to take things over.  Once he realized I was somewhat serious, God went to work.  It has been excruciating at times, trying to have this big, overgrown, fat-headed ego slowly burned away…as I have said before, the last two years have been the toughest (spiritually) in my entire life.  But even amidst the struggle and suffering, I have had moments of peace and clarity that I have never experienced in my life…the Holy Spirit was no doubt showing me what “Christ-in-Me” is all about, giving me a brief glance of what life and experience will be like someday when I have thoroughly burned away “Me,” just as Paul learned to do.

Thus, I don’t want to be “Me” anymore – “Me” gets “Me” gets me nothing but trouble.  “Me” gets me nothing but frustration, depression, and a constant sense that something is missing, things are not quite right, and I am never at peace.  In all honesty, I don’t even particularly like “Me” that much – “Me” is always leading me down endless paths that never satisfy, never fulfill.  “Me” has let me down for the last time. From now on, “Christ-In-Me” is the only way to be. (Forgive the silly rhyme). 

Please examine your day, your life, your being today; your suffering, your hang-ups, your frustrations, and even the good things…which “You” are you living?

You were never meant to be ‘you’ – Stop being ‘You’ for awhile, take a break from the constant anxiety that comes from trying to fulfill all of ‘Your’ desires and expectations and see what “Christ-in-You” wants….

(and much more on this in the future)

In Christ,

Mark Wylie