The Real You!
There is an old story that tells of a baby eagle that was raised among the chickens.
Having no other role model than the chickens, he learned to scratch for his food and tried to cluck and walk like all the other chickens.
He did not know why, but he felt like he never really fit in.
He felt awkward and ungainly.
Nevertheless, he spent his days in this uncomfortable state until one day an ominous shadow was cast over the farmyard as a great eagle glided effortlessly overhead.
The shadow struck fear into all the chickens and they began to frantically look for a place to run and hide.
Mysteriously our little eagle, though he walked among the chickens, did not feel the fear but rather a strong stirring that somehow he too should be soaring instead of scratching.
For the first time in his life, he felt a strange hope beating in his heart and almost without realizing it, he stretched his wings and with a couple of mighty flaps found himself rising up beyond anything he ever dreamed.
Soon he too was soaring on the jet-stream of his life, finally released into his destiny and created purpose.
Most of us can identify with that eagle that walked among the chickens.
We find that we don't really seem to fit in.
We have a stirring in our hearts that we do not understand.
Yet the sad truth is that instead of finding the shadow, that should unlock the real you, causes you to run and hide like everyone else.
Fear of failure and rejection blind us to the opportunities that soar above us and live in our very bosoms.
Often, when the shadow of opportunity gains our attention, we only look up and sigh and go back to scratching in the depleted soil of the farmyard.
What is it that holds us in such a crushing grip that few ever find the glorious purpose for which they were created? It is called deception! Dear one, we have been deceived and continue to be deceived.
We are surrounded by a powerful false standard that measures everything by a crooked and sick tape measure.
Because of this, we are in bondage to the false standard that keeps our eyes on the wrong goals.
We spend our life chasing that which is a lie.
Jesus said, "He that would be greatest among you, let him be the servant of all.
" Yet when was the last time you saw a university offering a degree on "how to be a great servant"? When we think of the word "glory," we think of the praise of men and of winning the top honors in some competition or contest.
We think of money or titles or houses or lands.
Yet, when Moses asked to see the glory of God, our heavenly Father said to Moses: Ex 33:17-19 17 So the Lord said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.
" 18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory.
" 19 Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, NKJV Can you see it? God said, "My glory is my goodness.
" Part of the Hebrew definition of goodness is "joy" and "wellbeing.
" Much of our lack of joy that we experience in this life is a result of our wounded pride.
We somehow think we deserve to be treated better than we are.
As a result of our pride, we assume some slight or rejection that holds us in bondage to our hurt feelings.
The Apostle Paul was experiencing just such a sadness and disappointment from the "thorn in the flesh" he was asking the Lord to remove from his life.
He prayed three times for this burdensome chain to be banned from him.
Strangely, the Lord told Paul, "It is through this thorn in the flesh that my grace is flowing to you.
" Once Paul realized that this supposed painful disappointment was the avenue through which the grace of God was released to him, he totally changed his mind! What trial or pain are you experiencing that causes God's grace to come to you? In what way are we "resisting the grace of God?" Paul's appreciation of "grace" was so great he made one of the most astonishing reversals imaginable.
Let us hear him in his own words: 2 Cor 12:7-10 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
" Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
NKJV Dear one, is it possible that the trial, tests, rejections, pain, and reproaches that you are experiencing are God's own tools to release His grace into your life? Is there some hidden pride that hinders the sweet fellowship the Father wants to have with you? Are your eyes fixed on the "praise of men" or the false glory of position, place or profit? Or are you looking for ways to "bless those who persecute you and do good to those who wrong you"? Indeed there is a place where you and I can find pleasure in infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake.
For when we are weak, then we are strong.
The way I came about to write this article was truly quite amazing.
I had been away visiting some loved ones, and when I returned to the church of which I co- pastor, I was bombarded with many problems.
Instead of starting to pray about each of these difficulties I decided to give thanks for them.
I spent a good part of that night in which I should have been sleeping giving thanks.
As a result the Lord granted me a precious revelation.
The gist of this truth was that the Lord showed me how little of what He has intended for my life has been achieved or accomplished.
Interestingly, by some people's standard, our life has been enormously successful.
That is where I got this title from, "The Real You.
" The real you was always meant to be "a truly great and humble servant.
" The inner man that the Lord created you to be can only find true and lasting fulfillment in the grace of "humility and brokenness.
" Every time we allow woundedness and pride to raise its ugly head, we are taken farther down the road from our creator's designed purpose.
If we would take the words of Jesus and put them into practice it would be impossible to feel rejected or wounded or discouraged or disappointed.
Let's close this writing by reading some of Soaring Eagle's words to us.
Mark 10:44-45 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Luke 14:10 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place Luke 14:11 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
" NKJV How pleasant life would be if we were able to crucify the ugly pride that demands we be treated in some special way.
The words of the Apostle Paul sound so foreign to us when in truth, they should be our natural and normal thought patterns.
2 Cor 12:9-10 9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
" Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
NKJV Prayer - Dear Lord, we have had so few role models who have taught us to boast about our infirmities and reproaches.
No, we have had friends who have encouraged us to talk about and criticize those who we suppose have wounded us.
Please give us leaders who will pattern your great love and grace.
Leaders who truly know the truth that they can "boast in infirmities, take pleasure in reproaches, in needs and persecutions.
" Not to be a martyr, but because they have loved your grace so much and have found the secret to whom they were created to be - loving servants who are made in your image!
Having no other role model than the chickens, he learned to scratch for his food and tried to cluck and walk like all the other chickens.
He did not know why, but he felt like he never really fit in.
He felt awkward and ungainly.
Nevertheless, he spent his days in this uncomfortable state until one day an ominous shadow was cast over the farmyard as a great eagle glided effortlessly overhead.
The shadow struck fear into all the chickens and they began to frantically look for a place to run and hide.
Mysteriously our little eagle, though he walked among the chickens, did not feel the fear but rather a strong stirring that somehow he too should be soaring instead of scratching.
For the first time in his life, he felt a strange hope beating in his heart and almost without realizing it, he stretched his wings and with a couple of mighty flaps found himself rising up beyond anything he ever dreamed.
Soon he too was soaring on the jet-stream of his life, finally released into his destiny and created purpose.
Most of us can identify with that eagle that walked among the chickens.
We find that we don't really seem to fit in.
We have a stirring in our hearts that we do not understand.
Yet the sad truth is that instead of finding the shadow, that should unlock the real you, causes you to run and hide like everyone else.
Fear of failure and rejection blind us to the opportunities that soar above us and live in our very bosoms.
Often, when the shadow of opportunity gains our attention, we only look up and sigh and go back to scratching in the depleted soil of the farmyard.
What is it that holds us in such a crushing grip that few ever find the glorious purpose for which they were created? It is called deception! Dear one, we have been deceived and continue to be deceived.
We are surrounded by a powerful false standard that measures everything by a crooked and sick tape measure.
Because of this, we are in bondage to the false standard that keeps our eyes on the wrong goals.
We spend our life chasing that which is a lie.
Jesus said, "He that would be greatest among you, let him be the servant of all.
" Yet when was the last time you saw a university offering a degree on "how to be a great servant"? When we think of the word "glory," we think of the praise of men and of winning the top honors in some competition or contest.
We think of money or titles or houses or lands.
Yet, when Moses asked to see the glory of God, our heavenly Father said to Moses: Ex 33:17-19 17 So the Lord said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.
" 18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory.
" 19 Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, NKJV Can you see it? God said, "My glory is my goodness.
" Part of the Hebrew definition of goodness is "joy" and "wellbeing.
" Much of our lack of joy that we experience in this life is a result of our wounded pride.
We somehow think we deserve to be treated better than we are.
As a result of our pride, we assume some slight or rejection that holds us in bondage to our hurt feelings.
The Apostle Paul was experiencing just such a sadness and disappointment from the "thorn in the flesh" he was asking the Lord to remove from his life.
He prayed three times for this burdensome chain to be banned from him.
Strangely, the Lord told Paul, "It is through this thorn in the flesh that my grace is flowing to you.
" Once Paul realized that this supposed painful disappointment was the avenue through which the grace of God was released to him, he totally changed his mind! What trial or pain are you experiencing that causes God's grace to come to you? In what way are we "resisting the grace of God?" Paul's appreciation of "grace" was so great he made one of the most astonishing reversals imaginable.
Let us hear him in his own words: 2 Cor 12:7-10 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
" Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
NKJV Dear one, is it possible that the trial, tests, rejections, pain, and reproaches that you are experiencing are God's own tools to release His grace into your life? Is there some hidden pride that hinders the sweet fellowship the Father wants to have with you? Are your eyes fixed on the "praise of men" or the false glory of position, place or profit? Or are you looking for ways to "bless those who persecute you and do good to those who wrong you"? Indeed there is a place where you and I can find pleasure in infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake.
For when we are weak, then we are strong.
The way I came about to write this article was truly quite amazing.
I had been away visiting some loved ones, and when I returned to the church of which I co- pastor, I was bombarded with many problems.
Instead of starting to pray about each of these difficulties I decided to give thanks for them.
I spent a good part of that night in which I should have been sleeping giving thanks.
As a result the Lord granted me a precious revelation.
The gist of this truth was that the Lord showed me how little of what He has intended for my life has been achieved or accomplished.
Interestingly, by some people's standard, our life has been enormously successful.
That is where I got this title from, "The Real You.
" The real you was always meant to be "a truly great and humble servant.
" The inner man that the Lord created you to be can only find true and lasting fulfillment in the grace of "humility and brokenness.
" Every time we allow woundedness and pride to raise its ugly head, we are taken farther down the road from our creator's designed purpose.
If we would take the words of Jesus and put them into practice it would be impossible to feel rejected or wounded or discouraged or disappointed.
Let's close this writing by reading some of Soaring Eagle's words to us.
Mark 10:44-45 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Luke 14:10 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place Luke 14:11 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
" NKJV How pleasant life would be if we were able to crucify the ugly pride that demands we be treated in some special way.
The words of the Apostle Paul sound so foreign to us when in truth, they should be our natural and normal thought patterns.
2 Cor 12:9-10 9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
" Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
NKJV Prayer - Dear Lord, we have had so few role models who have taught us to boast about our infirmities and reproaches.
No, we have had friends who have encouraged us to talk about and criticize those who we suppose have wounded us.
Please give us leaders who will pattern your great love and grace.
Leaders who truly know the truth that they can "boast in infirmities, take pleasure in reproaches, in needs and persecutions.
" Not to be a martyr, but because they have loved your grace so much and have found the secret to whom they were created to be - loving servants who are made in your image!
