The Importance of Identity and Purpose
To truly experience a life filled with peace, joy, and fulfillment, you must first understand who you are and what the Master Potter's purpose was in creating you. Knowing your identity in Christ is crucial, but I want to highlight something that goes alongside that: comprehending your uniqueness to our Father and your calling on a personal level.
I'm not just referring to being His beloved, the righteousness of God in Christ, His precious child; or a royal, holy, blood-bought daughter or son. Those are incredible truths, and they do define us, absolutely, but I'm talking about something more specific.
Until you receive a revelation of who God says you are, finding contentment within yourself and your life can be challenging. If you don't realize how precious and valuable you are to the Lord, you will struggle to find your worth according to the world's standards. You may even unwittingly fight your true calling if you don't know why He created you.
Knowing Your Unique Purpose Will Set You Free
The day after Christmas, I let go of my author Instagram and Facebook pages. It was a huge act of obedience and surrender. I worked very hard to grow my Instagram following to over 13,000 people. While some may consider that a small number, it was a strong platform for encouraging others and selling my products. But it was exhausting! It took a lot of time, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Sure, I could have had someone take over posting, but the One who is as a refiner's fire always aims to address the heart issues. Ouch! Can anyone relate? For me, it was a time-stealer and a teaser of validation.
Yes, I am a published author, and authors sell books. It's part of the gig. I worked very, very hard to build the platform necessary for selling books because that's what publishers expected. However, I placed more faith in my marketing abilities than God's plan. I pressured myself to meet my publishers' desires instead of being true to what God expects. Another huge ouch! Does anyone else pressure themselves? (Photo via Unsplash)
Thank God His burden is far lighter than what we or the world tries to place on our shoulders! Until God awakens our hearts to the significance of who He's created us to be, we won't understand what we're meant to do, or not do. We'll strive to do more, to be more... to fit in or appear successful, anointed, or talented. We'll look for society's stamp of approval instead of God's. We may not even realize we're doing that until God reveals it.
God has called me to ministry, and I love it! He's called me to write, and I love that too. But mostly He wants me to be content with simply being His set-apart one. I choose to be a worshiper rather than a celebrity, and I am genuinely overjoyed by that choice because it reflects the deepest part of who I am.
I love leading people into His presence, but I must also trust Him to bring those individuals to me. Although I've had to take on the role of a businesswoman as an author, that is not my primary identity, and I refuse to allow that role to consume my time.
I must remain true to who God created me to be, and so must you. But again, you first need God to reveal that to you. That's what happened to me, and that revelation has significantly tweaked my incredibly long to-do list. Who does God say you are, and who has He called you to be? The Master Potter (God) has a reason for creating you, and He wants to tell you.
If you've seen the movie The Polar Express, it's a great example. In the film, all the children received a golden ticket, allowing them to ride the train. They had all been chosen. It wasn't until the end of the movie that the conductor personalized their tickets to reflect something beautiful about them individually. He inscribed a truth that revealed how much the conductor (think God here) knew them. This gave them confidence, comfort, value, and humble joy.
Encounter the Potter
This revelation is life-changing, and I want to invite you to experience Isaiah 64:8: "But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand."
You might want to step into it as an encounter nourished by Scripture. Yes, this starts by faith—using your imagination. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide your imagination if you ask. There is nothing safer than stepping into Scripture to experience this for yourself. (Photo via Pexels)
Start by going somewhere quiet and alone. Turn off the notifications on your devices and offer the Lord at least fifteen minutes of uninterrupted prayer time.
Read the verse above, close your eyes, and find yourself standing in the woods. Feel your feet in the grass. Notice the trees and nature around you. Up ahead, you see a cottage—quaint and inviting. It's where Father God, the Master Potter, likes to work.
Go inside. The Father is sitting at the Potter's wheel, creating something. Go to Him and greet Him. If you'd like to sit beside Him and watch Him work, do that. Notice how much attention He gives His work and how much He enjoys it.
Then, walk around His studio. Notice all the different shapes and sizes of vessels filling His cottage. Ask Father to tell you which vessel in the studio is you. Watch, listen, and allow yourself to hear what He says about you. Stay here with Him for as long as you'd like as He reveals something about you that you may have never known before.
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Gretchen Rodriguez
Gretchen Rodriguez Ministries
Email:Â click here
Website:Â www.gretchenrodriguez.com
Gretchen Rodriguez is a writer, dancer and ballet teacher. Her heart burns with one main message: Intimacy with Jesus and discovering the reality of His presence. She co-authored Prayers on Fire, 365 Days Praying the Psalms, The Divine Romance: 365 Days Meditating on the Song of Songs and Ever-Present Love: 365 Days Discovering Jesus in the Gospels, with Brian Simmons. She and her husband invested nine years as missionaries in Puerto Rico, along with their three daughters. They now make California their home.
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