When God first revealed himself to Moses, he introduced himself as 'I AM'. This was to signify his utter and complete self-sufficiency. This encounter with God took place when Moses found himself in a literal wilderness.
Recently I have been walking through a metaphorical wilderness. I have proactively pursued personal dreams and explored what a life of abundance looks like. I know God has promised that for my life and so I have risked with my heart and my resources in this pursuit. Yet it seemed at almost every turn on the journey all I've been met with is broken dreams and failed expectations. It begs the question, Is God not as good as He says He is?
Dwelling on that thought can be where I get stuck. I confess I have wrestled with that question for many years but through all the struggle there is one thing I am certain of, I just can't afford to judge God's character and nature through the lens of my circumstances.
He is a God of abundance and blessing and I know His ultimate plans for my life are to prosper me. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says "And God is able to make ALL grace abound to you, so that having ALL sufficiency in ALL things at ALL times, you may abound in every good work". What an incredible verse!! His heart is for us to have ALL things so I'm left wondering why I'm not walking in this abundance?
Now that I know the issue is not with God, I guess it must be with me!! I believe this past year of failed expectations and broken dreams is an opportunity for me to strengthen my identity in Christ. Perhaps the great 'I AM' actually wants me to recognise who I am!!
It's easy to see myself as a man of favour and abundance when that is my current outward experience but how do I see myself in seasons of lack and disappointment? Will who I am be shaken in the midst of these testing times? This is where the challenge lies for me.
The Apostle Paul learned a great lesson in life. He learned that he could rejoice whether he had plenty or whether he had nothing at all. True wealth is in knowing that while we may lose the whole world, if we gain Christ, our lives are rich.
So today I choose to recognise who God says I am, and refuse to have my identity shaped by my present circumstances. The reality is, I am a man of abundance and my identity and security lie not in the sum of my possessions or in my status but in the life giving power of Jesus Christ. Thank God for the richness of Christ.
