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Questions About How You Create Your Reality
Are you chasing that proverbial best version of yourself? Are you trying to create a new reality? How often have we heard, âYou have to face reality?â Here is a different take on that statement: you can change the reality youâre in, but youâve got to think outside of the box. To change it, you have to change first.
How do you see yourself now? Do you have a vision or idea of who you want to become, if itâs different than you are now? Hereâs a very important question: through what lens are you looking? Perhaps more importantly, through whose lens? If you look through the wrong one, you will have a distorted view. If you chase that vision, youâll be miles away from your best self.
Is the lens a worldly one or is it of the Kingdom? They are diametrically opposed, and have different ideas of what success looks like. If you look through someone elseâs lens, it will more than likely be a skewed vision. If you allow someone to project their idea of who and what you should be, you will be trying to live up their expectations. In essence, you would be giving them power over your life. There is a place where people speak into one anotherâs life, but no one should run the otherâs life!
Some look through the lens of society, and think in terms of success. Whatâs your definition of success? Does it include wealth, possessions, power and prestige? Is it having the freedom to do as you please? Would that be true freedom and would you actually feel fulfilled if you had all of these things?
You are uniquely made, and were never meant to be like anyone else, much less conformed to someone elseâs expectations. When it comes to your best version, would it be wise to ask the One Who designed you in the first place? Being in alignment with His design, is the sweet spot. That is where you will find yourself the most fulfilled. What are some things we know about that design?
Godâs Intended Reality For You
Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in His Own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
Romans 8:29 For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren.
These clear-cut statements answer that question: we were created to be in Godâs image. Unfortunately, the image was marred when sin entered into the picture. In His infinite wisdom, God both foresaw humanityâs plight and made provision for it. That provision of course is Jesus Christ, in Whose image He predestinated us to be fitted.
Ways to Distort Reality
1 Corinthians 13:11-12 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
If weâre honest, we have to admit we donât really see ourselves very clear. âFor now we see through a mirror dimlyâ reveals this truth. Left to ourselves, we begin with a distorted view of ourselves. Hence, the reason to ask God to show us our design. There are some definite ways to have an even more distorted view. How can you distort reality? Again, letâs go back to the beginning.
Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? . . . For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil … (read the entirety of the passage).
One of the first ways to distort reality is questioning God and His Word. Most in the Christian community already recognize deception is hidden in that kind of questioning. It leads to doubt. Without realizing it, when we question God and His Word, we will question ourselves too. Obviously, if you eliminate God from the picture, game over. Without Him, we lose our purpose for living; not to mention, losing sight of who we really are in Jesus. People lose value without Him.
We know from 2 Peter 1:4, corruption entered into the world through lust. When one lusts for ungodly things, the things of God lose preeminence in his life. Of course, if he acts on those lusts, the chasm between him and God increases. The further away you move from God, the more distorted reality becomes. Ultimately it leads to idolatry (see Romans 1:18-32). Getting back to the phrase, âYouâve got to face reality.â Itâs interesting to see those who are completely lost think they live in reality, and the Christians have lost their minds.
Romans 1:21-22 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
Thirdly, when pride enters into the picture, distortion is off the charts. When someone plunges deep into pride, they actually depart from love. Self-centeredness takes over at that point. We are created for love, since weâre made in Godâs image. God is love. The most unfulfilled humans on the planet are in it for themselves, period. In truth, as long as anyone does things his or her own way, he or she will never become their best self.
How Can You Come Into His Reality
Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.How do you create your best reality? Thatâs a trick question: you canât! You never could, and thatâs the deception many have fallen into. Many believe they can achieve their best version through their own effort. They are striving to reinvent themselves. Yes, people can change their living conditions, and in one sense become better individuals. But apart from God, theyâll be incomplete and lost in sin. Changing thoughts and habits certainly lead to improvement, but not to the level God has for them.
The change required for your best reality can only be accomplished by God. How do you become a better Christian? Thatâs another trick question: you cannot improve on what Jesus already did. Your righteousness and goodness are strictly found in Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-21).
God is the One Who does all the necessary changes. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
So whatâs our part in all of this? Three words: love, believe and submit. When you love God with your whole being and love others with the love of Jesus, you are being your best version. Jesus gave us His love, so we can love others as He does (see John 17:18-26; Galatians 5:22-23).
1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
There’s so much that could be said about this verse, but letâs keep this simple. If you truly believe you are a welled love child, self-esteem issues disappear. Your best version believes God, which includes believing He loves you. He said so, after all! You donât need someone else to tell you that youâre valuable. Youâre here because He loves you and has made you worthy through Jesus Christ. In short, you are everything God says you are, and are able to do everything He says you can do.
Submitting to Holy Spirit enables you to be and do all things. Itâs His grace!
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 8:15-16 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.