Danger: Being vs. Doing

Satan is powerful and can make you feel like you're living in hell, but he can't stop you from being saved. Larry Brey told us a powerful story of a guy named Sam last month during our "Follow" series. Sam found himself in the darkest moment of his life. In fact, the story takes place with him in the bagel shop just a mile down the road from Elevation. He was planning to take the life of his father and then to take his own life when a man walked up to him and took him to Elevation for church that morning. Sam got saved and God totally changed his story. Sam was the first person to be baptized at our brand new University Campus. Praise God. But how do you stay in a place of joy? How to you stay away from going into autopilot in your faith?

God has given us all strengths and weaknesses. No matter how strong a strength is or how weak a weakness may seem, we must lay it down at the feet of Jesus and bring Him the glory in all we do...daily. We all must find our identity in Christ. I wrote a blog earlier on our identity (you can read it here...Identity).  The danger in ministry is becoming the gift that God gave you. For me personally, I am called to work with and lead students to a growing relationship with Christ, but who I am is crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). What I do is not who I am. My confidence and identity needs to be in Christ and not what I do for Him. Am I too busy working for God or am I filled with a relationship with Him? Am I trying to be a quotable person or am I living a life that is well pleasing to God?

Acts 1:8 says "you will be my witnesses." The difference between being and doing is simple but drastic. Doing is all about self and what I can do with my hands and my life to make a difference. Being is what God does through you...it is what you have become. Brey says, "We must be careful to never reduce the will of God to just doing." The question to ask yourself is what do you want to become? God did not create you to do something, He created you to be someone! The greatest contentment in life is when your identity is found in God and you become the person He intended you to be, not just doing the work He wants you to complete.