Quote from Forum Archives on July 7, 2003, 1:07 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Wholeness and meaning in life. Aren't those things that we all
desire, perhaps even crave? I wonder what lengths some of us
will go to in order to seek and find such things.

Today, Neil Anderson writes a message about these issues, and I
believe he captures the truth in it. Our real identity is who
we are in Christ, but too many of us either don't realize that or
we don't live like we believe or cling to that truth. My prayer
for today is that this message will cause some people to evaluate
the choices they make every day, and the things they think about,
as well as the way they think about themselves. Who knows, this
message might just be squarely aimed at you.

Dear Lord,

I find my true hope, the real place of satisfaction, right in
You. Yet I confess that it is SO easy to think of other things,
to get distracted, and to allow my eyes or my mind to wander to
other places.

Help me to continually place my hope and trust in You, to rejoice
in You at all times, to share the reason for my joy with others,
and to also find my place of rest securely in You alone.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

____________________________________________________________

NEIL ANDERSON'S DAILY IN CHRIST
from Freedom in Christ Ministries

July 7

WHOLENESS AND MEANING IN LIFE

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians
3:26).

Several years ago a 17-year-old girl drove a great distance to
talk with me. I have never met a girl who had so much going for
her. She was cover-girl pretty with a wonderful figure. She was
immaculately dressed. She had completed 12 years of school in 11
years, graduating with a very high grade point average. As a
talented musician, she had received a music scholarship to a
Christian university. And she drove a brand-new sports car her
parents gave her for graduation. I was amazed that one person
could have so much.

She talked with me for half an hour and I realized that what I
saw on the outside wasn't matching what I was beginning to see on
the inside. "Mary," I said finally, "have you ever cried yourself
to sleep at night because you felt inadequate and wished you were
somebody else?"

She began to cry. "How did you know?"

"Truthfully, Mary," I answered, "I've learned that people who
appear to have it all together are often far from being together
inside."

Often what we show on the outside is a false front designed to
disguise who we really are and cover up the secret hurts we feel
about our identity. Somehow we believe that if we appear
attractive or perform well or enjoy a certain amount of status,
then we will have it all together inside as well. But that's not
necessarily true. External appearance, accomplishment and
recognition don't necessarily reflect--or produce--internal peace
and maturity. All the stuff and status you can acquire don't add
up to personal wholeness. Millions of people climb those ladders
to success, only to discover when they reach the top that they
are leaning against the wrong wall!

Wholeness and meaning in life are not the products of what you
have or don't have, what you've done or haven't done. You are
already a whole person and possess a life of infinite meaning and
purpose because of who you are--a child of God. The only identity
equation that works in God's kingdom is you plus Christ equals
wholeness and meaning.

Father God, I wouldn't trade the wholeness and meaning You have
brought to my life for anything the world can produce.

-----------
This daily devotional is published and distributed by
Crosswalk.com. It is written by Neil Anderson at
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.14.12974.1.293748.

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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