I was once at a Hibachi restaurant with some fiends and, while I don’t like seafood at all, I’ll try anything once. This is why I decided to share a sashimi plate (assorted raw fish) with a friend. It came with wasabi, a very spicy, green play dough-looking blob, to season the bland fish. I wanted to try it but had to have an accomplice. I pressed everyone at the table to try it with me and finally said I’d eat a large chunk if someone else would eat a small piece. After that, my meal was over for the evening as I fought nausea.
I’m a pusher. I press people into doing things a lot. I know the right buttons to push to validate myself… my false self, that is. The funny thing is, I was always on the other end growing up—the persuaded rather than the persuad-ee. I’ve recoiled because of that adolescent trial and perhaps you’re in the midst of that too.
Phase 2: Persuaded
After being threatened the enemy both persuades me and pushes me to persuade others to join me in me stolen identity. After all, if my fake identity is surrounded by others, temporarily, I’m comfortable. And that's what it wants us to believe—that that’s the goal.
The good thing is that at any point along this process we can resist it. He does not have power over you. But this is one of the hardest things to resist and here’s why: God built us with a strong desire for our true identity to be accepted. It goes wrong when we seek that acceptance in humans and not Him. If I can run to him at this point and cry “Do you accept me?” then the resounding embrace of “Yes!” will bring peace like nothing else.
Where do you feel pushed or persuaded?
Who have you persuaded people lately to make yourself feel accepted? Do those people deserve an apology?
Read Psalm 139 and be assured that you are accepted—the real true you—by the only one that matters
I’m a pusher. I press people into doing things a lot. I know the right buttons to push to validate myself… my false self, that is. The funny thing is, I was always on the other end growing up—the persuaded rather than the persuad-ee. I’ve recoiled because of that adolescent trial and perhaps you’re in the midst of that too.
Phase 2: Persuaded
After being threatened the enemy both persuades me and pushes me to persuade others to join me in me stolen identity. After all, if my fake identity is surrounded by others, temporarily, I’m comfortable. And that's what it wants us to believe—that that’s the goal.
The good thing is that at any point along this process we can resist it. He does not have power over you. But this is one of the hardest things to resist and here’s why: God built us with a strong desire for our true identity to be accepted. It goes wrong when we seek that acceptance in humans and not Him. If I can run to him at this point and cry “Do you accept me?” then the resounding embrace of “Yes!” will bring peace like nothing else.
Where do you feel pushed or persuaded?
Who have you persuaded people lately to make yourself feel accepted? Do those people deserve an apology?
Read Psalm 139 and be assured that you are accepted—the real true you—by the only one that matters
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