Creating Some Space to Untangle My Identity

I get so frustrated with how easily my identity gets tangled up in my work. I should know better; after all, I teach this to others. Yet I still find myself inadvertently looking for my sense of significance from my job. I have to work hard to discipline my thoughts, to remind myself that my sense of who I am is based on being a child of God – something that is an undeserved gift, not something I have earned.

I find it helpful to regularly re-read Henri Nouwen’s little book In the Name of Jesus which reflects powerfully on the temptations of Jesus and what they teach us about Christian leadership.

I also find it helpful to create some space to explore prayerfully my real motivations for doing things. It helps me re-align what I’m doing with my sense of God’s calling. It sometimes means I have to exit as gracefully as I can from responsibilities that are no longer mine to carry (and perhaps never were!)

Why not take some time over the next couple of months to reassess, to listen to God and discern:

• Where am I currently getting my sense of significance?
• What are the next steps in my journey with God?
• What do I need to let go of to make that happen?

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