The Danger of Living Under Your Assumed Name (a confessional post)

Are you someone who tries very hard?

Are you a person who loves Jesus dearly, reads His Word daily, and wants to be found applying that Word to Your life?

Are you, like me, someone who sometimes gets caught up in the hard trying, the striving, the effort of this life with Christ?

This post, a one-week deviation from spiritual disciplines, is for us.

Hi, my name is Lori, and I’m a recovering striver.

Are you like me? When I read Psalm 46:10 nasb, “Stop striving and know that I am God.” I then strive to cease striving.

To strive is to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. That’s me. I’m always trying. I have been since my dysfunctional childhood.

Something deep within me was twisted early on to please, to earn, to try, to work for attention, kindness, respect, and love.

While this made me a good student, an obedient daughter, and kept me out of trouble in the 70’s, it also set me up for a lifetime of angst, misspent energy, and spiritual exhaustion.

Can you relate?

Romans 9 ends with a passage about why the Israelites are stumbling over the gospel, the good news of the Messiah.

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’” Romans 9:30-33 esv

To be chosen by God is to be chosen to receive, not chosen to achieve. To be chosen to belong, not to be strong in our own strength.

He chose the Israelites to know Him and to glorify Himself through His relationship with them. It wasn’t about what they could achieve for Him, but what He would determine to do for them and through them.

The men and women of the Bible aren’t great, accomplished, super-spiritual people. Every one of them was faulted, sinful, failing, and undeserving. Like us.

The Bible isn’t about great people but about our great God.

In Exodus 14:14, as the people of God stood between the uncrossable Red Sea and the armies of Pharaoh intent on their capture, Moses told them, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:14 esv

The Israelites weren’t demonstrating faith at that moment. They were panicked as all of us panic when we’re stuck in a place and can see no way out. They were complaining loudly to Moses and accusing God of leading them this far only to let them die (hence, the command to be silent).

And then God parted the waters.

Moses had faith, not in his own walk with God, but in God alone.

This isn’t just an Old Testament story. Peter climbed out of the boat one moment and sank beneath the waves the next. He denied Jesus in the hour Jesus needed Him. Jesus forgave Him and trusted Him with the church.

The story isn’t about how great Peter was, but about the greatness of our God.

It was then, it is now.

This past weekend, I went on a retreat to encourage three other writers, only I showed up so focused on my own weakness, discouragement, and failings I was making it all about me. God showed up anyway and encouraged us all.

I often imagine God is calling me “Striver.” You know, not in my good moments, for sure. But that’s my accusing imagination which has been damaged this side of glory. I know by faith that what God calls me is “My daughter.”

It’s not a name I’ve earned or ever have to earn. It’s mine by birth, new birth in Jesus Christ.

In Lord of the Rings, early on, Frodo, Samwise, Pip, and Merry meet a mysterious, tortured stranger named Strider. Strider means “one who enjoys walking.”

Strider wanders the earth under a name he’s chosen, not the one he was given as a birthright. He does good things, for sure, but he’s not experiencing the greatness for which He was designed.

Through the story we learn that Strider’s actual name is Aragorn, which means “noble valour.” He’s not only the son of a king, he’s the king apparent but he’s not walking in his inheritance. He’s walking in his own strength.

That sounds humble and admirable until you realize the people suffer because he won’t step into the power of his inheritance and choose to serve others rather than his own misery.

You and I have names we’ve taken on that aren’t the names of our spiritual birthright. Rejected. Abandoned. Invisible. Lost. Unknown. Unimportant. Failure. Stumbler. Forgotten. Unloved. And worse.

We strive to earn our way out of the prison of those names but there is only one way out and we can’t earn it. We must simply receive it.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18 esv

Our true names in Christ, are Redeemed, Loved, Ones Who Belong, Sons and Daughters of the Most High King, Chosen, Empowered, Seen, Known by God, Lights of the World.

Jesus paid the full price for those names. There is nothing left for us to pay. We only receive the gift and walk in it.

Hallelujah! He is Risen! He is risen indeed.

(Reply to this email or comment below. I read and respond to every one!)

 

A gift to you: For the coming year, I will be happy to present The Hard Conversation workshop or Jesus and the Beanstalk talks to your church group FREE OF CHARGE. That’s right, I’ll waive my speaker fee because I believe we need these skills in our times. Contact me and we’ll schedule! (If you’re a distance, we’ll discuss travel expenses.)

 

 

 

 

My birthday is this coming Monday. It would bless me if:

 

• • you’ve enjoyed any of my books if you would leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
  • you haven’t read any of my books, please choose one this week to purchase or purchase one for your pastor or a friend.
  • Colorful Connections: 12 Questions about Race that Open Healthy Conversations
  • The Art of Hard Conversations: Biblical Tools for the Tough Talks that Matter
  • Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus)
  • Jesus and the Beanstalk: Overcoming Your Giants and Living a Fruitful Life
  • Red Pen Redemption (if you like Downton Abbey and A Christmas Carol, you’ll love this novella).
  • you see value in my writing and would like to support the upkeep of the website on Patreon.
  • you forward this post to friends on your email list.
  • you choose to step into your inheritance in Christ and live as a son or daughter of the King, as you are in Christ.

What’s the danger of living under your assumed name? Find out today! https://t.co/64F2Xh4cSS #Easter2023 #Easter

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) April 4, 2023