Yesterday I had one of those epiphanies which bring relief to a troubled soul. It seems like I have a disposition towards being introspective, both consciously and unconsciously. My mind is preoccupied with what kind of person I am, and how I perceive myself often seems to contradict how I should be in order to be an effective witness about Jesus Christ. I am terribly introverted. I prefer my own company to being with others. When it comes to small talk I am completely hopeless. I can’t stand crowds and parties can be an ordeal. My mind is always busy with something or another, so often I seem quite distant to my surroundings. When I am not in the classroom I sit at my desk with headphones working on something. Not very much approachable, if you ask me. My social life is predominantly limited to interaction in cyberspace.
The thought which with a flash of light landed in my mind was that Eve in the Garden of Eden struggled with the exact identical sentiments as I do. Somehow she wasn’t very happy about herself, and when the serpent offered her a cure in order for her to become more Christ-like she immediately bit the bait. I am grateful that that period in my life is history, that is, that I would search for technics and ten-step guides in order to better myself. However, that subtle sensation that I should somehow be different is still present. In the aftermath of the landing of that thought a string of thoughts found it opportune to take this a step further and suggest that when self-introspection governed my mind and as a result making me think that I am not quite perfect as I am I was tempted in the same manner as Eve was.
The main idea in the thought is, however, that I am now in Christ. He has taken completely possession of me. Sin is cast out and I am new creation. That new creation is a perfect expression of God. So, if Christ in me is all the aforementioned then that is Him in His unique Ole Henrik form. If He has a problem with who I am then it is up to Him to take action. By God’s grace I am who I am. Perhaps you now understand why I mentally gave out a breath of relief when that epiphany flashed up my mind. I am okay despite all my oddities.
The order of things in my account is quite intriguing. First we have this subtle temptation which caused this usually stout son of God to doubt himself. Then God intervenes and turns the temptation and its repercussions into a glorious moment of insight, revelation and comfort. It thus seems to me that our Father somehow uses temptations to fix us further in Himself. No wonder then that James exclaimed: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” (James 1:2)
Identity theft is proliferating in today’s society. New technology and our dependency on the digitalized world have made identity theft into a luxurious business for criminals. However, identity theft isn’t a new invention. We can trace its origin to a particular time and place. The kingdom of darkness has been busy depriving people of their identities ever since the fall. The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, said Jesus. Our identity is one of the most valuable assets we have. Without it we are nothing. When it is shaken we are thoroughly traumatized. Perhaps no wonder then that our soul enemy puts great effort into telling us that we are not who we should be and hence propels us into a quest for becoming something we already are.
The Mystery Revealed 
You sound normal !! 🙂
Hehe, I do? You found some similarities, I assume 🙂
Oh yes I did 😀
I love this so much OLE! Thank you! ps. you are way cool 🙂
You are more way cool 🙂
Or, perhaps way cooler…
The artistic/creative/philosophical/reflective/musician/inventive/contemplative/meditative all come from this more detached peapod.
A prophetic friend of a friend says “Ask me anything you like about the next ten minutes, or ten years time…just don’t ask me about anything in between.
Whatever make-up we are the devil is saying you’re not………..enough.
If we are strident go get em types, the devil says…….you’re so clumsy , foot in mouth person, why can’t you be like………………….
If we are good at cheering people up and people relating…..the devil says…..you’re so shallow…..you’re completely dumb!
If we are teacher types the devil says…………you are so unoriginal. You never create anything, you always have to learn it or read it…..what good is just having understanding.
If we are servant types the devil says…….Huh! you downtrodden worm, always serving people. Why couldn’t you have more backbone like that leader over there.
You’re useless at public speaking. So that means you are useless!
Basically we can’t win listening to this liar. Then when he’s finished one to one, he gets all the different people types slagging each other off.
Thanks Chris! Your comment is oozing with insight and freedom to let us be who we are! I drank every word!
This is such an encouragement today. Thanks, Chris!
I walked about many years with no identity of my own….I had been trying to fashion myself after the likeness of what the teaching of the day proclaimed that I should be…I never Knew that my identity was His identity and that I didn’t have to change who I was because I Am who He says that I AM….The thief cannot steal Cindi’s or Ole’s identity ever again for we Now Know that we are safe in Christ and as He is we Are! No trying to become for trying is effortless and vain……Now I rest in Knowing that I’m accepted, we all are and I Now for the first time in my Life I like the me that I AM. Super Saturday Blessings!!!
Thanks for that amazing testimony, Cindi! Super Saturday blessings to you too!
Dear Cindi, your words are always an invitation to REST. Bless you, my friend!
Ole, I love these words: ‘If He has a problem with who I am then it is up to Him to take action. By God’s grace I am who I am.’ The more I comprehend and take hold of the ALL and the FINISHED of what He has already accomplished, the more REST and PEACE are mine. Thank you so much for writing your musings. Also, I, too, have been pondering off and on the idea of counting it joy when encountering temptation…God sure has some wild ideas! The ‘t’ word itself is one which I have always been taught to fear, so to count it joy?!? There can be no fear in temptation, then, only confidence that I cannot be touched, that I am no longer a sinner…. Just thinking as I’m writing here. You’ve got my mind going. Thanks again!
When your mind is going it produces the most tremendous string of thoughts! “There can be no fear in temptation, then, only confidence that I cannot be touched, that I am no longer a sinner” Yes, yes and yes!
Oh this is so me and just spent a few days with my daughter and so wonderful
to know I am what Christ wants me to be today and she is what he wants her to be today and He will take us both through all our tomorrows. Love your blog and this one sounds so like me.
Thank you Linda! “He will take us both through all our tomorrows.” Wonderful!
Ole, thank you so much for allowing us all to hear your thoughts…..we are a priveledged few!
Thank you, Susan, for making this common Norwegian feel special!
It’s so funny Ole when you were talking about what you were seeing about yourself when the temptation hit…all the time I was thinking about that is not how I or others see you…we see Christ! And yet I do the same thing when temptation hits me (see all my faults) and yet Christ is me! I do take encouragement at your feet again!
Thank you Patty for seeing Christ when you see me! Your statement quickened and refreshed me! Thanks!
Do you think that Eve was just more curious than “not happy with herself”? Seems like the “not” really didn’t enter until after the fall. But she could have been operating in the grass is always greener on the other side and as we all know, curiosity killed the cat! My dissatisfaction with who God has made me to be in Him is what usually gets me in trouble. I’ve always loved this quote of Thomas Merton……”Esteemed friends,birds of noble lineage, I have no message to you except this: be what you are, be birds…thus you will be your own sermon to yourselves.” Eve just didn’t know who she was and so the devil tricked her!! Still happens today. Love your thoughts and your blog.
Thank you, Lani! That quote from Merton spoke volumes to me! What beauty in one sentence! Loved it! Regarding your question; I honestly don’t know what flew through her mind in that critical moment. It could be so many things. Perhaps we all are right? Perhaps her fall covers a multitude of reasons? Blessings to you!
I am loving the richness of this conversation so much, thank you all for your input.
The ‘before the fall” scenario is an interesting setting seeing that they were in a pristine and sinless environment, and the seeming appeal to the apple, but then there’s always a peal on any apple 🙂
I think it is a misnomer to come to the conclusion that Adam and Eve were perfect, meaning, for where they were and at that time yes, they were indeed perfect, much like an apple is perfect in the middle of the summer, but there lays ahead an even more perfect time for it, and it then is so much tastier.
One thing I see very clearly in all of this Ole and others is, though we are “complete” in Christ, we are in fact growing up into that said completeness. As long as we have sin in our members, aka, Satan in our flesh, we will combat the lies of what I like to call “anorexia of the soul.”
Ask an average or even a beautiful woman that struggles with the lie of anorexia what her perception is of herself, its shocking to hear that she is vastly removed from any remote reality of being satisfied or celebratory of her personal looks!
I love how our brother Paul prayed for one of the most abounding and flourishing groups of people at Ephesus that the Father would continue to pour out into their lives a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that their “eyes” would be opened and therein be flooded with the (true) full knowledge of the much more that was all part of their birthright in Christ. How much more is like wise ours, that although we are complete in Him, subjectively; we are in fact growing up into that completeness.