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"Peter 1:16 says, 'Be holy, because I am holy.' Because the word holy in this verse is connected to God we sometimes think that holiness is something we achieve by doing things."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 50.
We are such a results based species. I'm not sure any other animal in this world looks to results like we do. Think about it. Do bees worry about how well they build that hive? How about beavers? Do they worry if their dam will be as good as the last one they built? I just can't imagine birds worrying that their nest isn't as good as the one built by the bird in the next tree. Results can be such a powerful force in the life of a human being. It isn't that we aren't to worry about how things turn out, it is the reasons that we look to results that makes depending on how we do something such a victim thinking thing to do.
It is when we need results to be part of the process of identifying and confirming our identity that results become something God never intended. There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeling that sense of accomplishment from a job well done. What absolutely kills our ability to live the life of a victor is when we turn to the results of our actions as proof as to who we are. Letting results be the test as to how well one's identity is working out in their life is nothing more than a short cut to victim thinking.
It's the same with the issue of being holy. We are to be holy because God is holy. When we view this verse through the lens of results it destroys our ability to live out the kind of holiness God is speaking of here. You see, we are holy, not because of what we do. We are holy because of what God has done. Our actions will never be enough to be the kind of holy needed to relate to this holy God that loves us so. It is only because of the fact that He sees us through the completed work of Jesus Christ that holy can be a description that the victor has every right to apply in their lives.
It is when we fall back on old ways and let the results of our attempts to be holy be enough to prove our holiness that doubts can't help but to be part of our existence. We can't help but to feel like we haven't done enough to rise to the level of God's holiness. Truth is we can't. We can never do enough to be holy like God is holy. We are a fallen people. This makes our holiness as filthy rags as far as God is concerned. Because of Jesus, our holiness is a white as snow, even on our worst day. If that doesn't change your perspective on life I don't know what will.
I don't know about you but sometimes I get so tired of trying to be something I can hang my hat on when it comes to identity. Same goes for holiness. I'm so tired of trying to be holy. What I'm really tired of is the feelings that come when I fail in the area of holiness. Those feelings can drive me to dark places where victim thinking takes control in ways I can victimize those around me. Since God says holiness is part of who I am, I'm finding it harder and harder to rely on results to prove that I'm living out my identity in a way that I think might be pleasing to Him.
I'm not giving up on doing my best and feeling the pride of doing something well. That includes living out who I am. What I hope to be able to give up someday is placing all my faith in my ability to confirm who I am to others and to the God that made me in the first place. I hope you too are finding this to be just as worthless in your life as I am in mine.
The truth is that I don't have to prove myself to anyone, especially God. I am who He has made me to be. My identity as God's Child isn't something I can earn or repay. It is what it is and I can't do anything to make it more or less than what He sees me to be. It is exactly the same with the issue of holiness. I'm holy because He is holy. Holiness is in my blood because I'm a child of the Holy King. It is in your blood as well. Just be and let your doing be empowered by who you are.
The Bible says this about how we are to act upon the holiness God calls us to.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. Psalm 30:4 (NIV)
I love this verse. It tells us to do one thing, and one thing only when it comes to the issue of holiness. We are to praise God. It's that simple. Our praise of Him is a powerful force in this world. M.R. DeHaan says, "If we would talk more about the Lord and praise Him, we would have less time to talk about ourselves."
Maybe that's the answer to my tiredness. Maybe I need to spend less time worrying about myself - what I think of myself and what others might be thinking of me. Maybe it is when I praise God, thank Him for what He has said about me, that I'm in a place where His holiness becomes something easier for me to grasp and maybe even live out.
Results make me think about myself more than I should. Spending all the time I do trying to judge how well I have done something takes away from the time I could be spending doing more - more work, more relationship, more life, more praise.
How about you. Are your tired of trying to figure out who you are? Are you tired to trying to prove you are who you want to be? I sure do hope you are tired of these results based actions because they are ultimately worthless. God has said who you are. You are His Child and that makes you holy. Take His word as gospel for your life and let holiness be what sets you apart in the middle of your victor status that He has made for you today
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