I wanted to talk a little about the Advent season. Advent is to me the season of Presence remembered. “Presence” represents God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This season is our opportunity to reflect on “Presence” and the effect Presence has on people’s lives. If you look at scripture, every single time someone encountered Presence, their true identity was revealed. Some were revealed in their true identity of evil and some in their identity in goodness.
Let’s start with Mary. Mary was created to be the Mother of Christ. As a very young woman I am sure she was struggling to find out who she was. Suddenly, she encounters an angel of the Lord, and he reveals to her her true identity. Granted, she had free will and could’ve said no. (If you remember she wasn’t married, so this was not exactly an ideal way to step into your true identity. She had to consider that people were going to chastise her for being “pregnant out of wedlock.”)
Nonetheless, Mary trusted God, in spite of the appearance of circumstances. She answered, “Let it be to me according to Your word” (Luke 1:38 NKJV). Because she said yes, she is forever revered as the Mother of our Christ. Mary had a choice. The choice to believe who the world would say she is or step into her identity in Christ and fulfill His destiny in her. We all have that same choice.
We don’t realize that every day, we meet that same crossroads of our own identity. Every moment of our life, we are fulfilling a destiny. Every action leads us either into a false identity or into our true identity. Every circumstance that comes our way is a potential for growth.
Are you going to grow in your true identity, or will you build on the lies of your false identity? Mary could’ve chosen to “protect” her flesh (her reputation) and deny the angel. But instead, she accepted God’s offer: “Let it be to me according to Your word.” In her decision, she stepped into the fullness of the destiny God created her for. Advent is that season for us. It is recognizing Presence in this present moment.
This is the season! God is offering you your true identity. Do you want it? Are you sick and tired of doing things your way? There is a better way! Is it worth it? You better believe it. It’s your destiny!
I would challenge you right now that if you are miserable in your life, go back and ask the Lord, “Where did I take the wrong path? Where did I choose to go my own way?” When you ask Him, expect Him to answer! He will answer. Then what? Ask Him to get you back on the right path to your true identity. He never gives up on us, but He often waits for us to give up on ourselves. When we are at the end of ourselves is when we realize we truly need Him.
So, whatever is hindering you, give it up. Gift Him with your troubles, gift Him your false identity, gift Him your fear. Whatever it is, He wants it. He is thrilled to take it from you. And when you give it to Him, ask for His Presence in exchange. Accept His Presence instead of your pain, your lies, your disappointment. That’s an amazing gift exchange, huh?
And when you’ve made the exchange, offer Him your life. Stand before Him in this present moment and say to Him, “Let it be to me according to Your word.” You won’t regret it. You will begin to realize who He created you to be, and it will be amazing. He did not create you to be miserable. He created you in His image, and He is amazing. If we are called to be a reflection of Him, we should be amazing also. So, give it up. Give up your present in exchange for His Presence in this present moment. Just do it!