A person’s true destiny never conflicts with who they are in their inner being. We cannot come into the knowledge of our destiny until we know our true identity. The reason the average person has difficulty determining their identity is due to unresolved conflict in their inner being. Internal conflict or disagreement within their own selves (body, mind and spirit) prevents people from discovering their true identity.
Internal conflict often arises as a result of personal trauma, pain or abuse that occurred early in our lives. Some of us cannot see who we really are because we were told by those who were close or important to us that we were bad, no good or just like our worthless daddy during our formative years. Others cannot come into the knowledge of our true identity because we were physically or sexually abused. The physical abuse creates persistent confusion internally over why we weren’t loved by those who were supposed to love us.
Physically abused children often become adults who struggle to find their identity because in trying to find who they are they attempt to disassociate themselves with that child who was abused. Then there are those who were sexually abused that also try to separate themselves from the tiny personality that experienced the trauma and pain of being abused sexually. Sexually abused children often become adults who hide the internal shame they feel because of the pleasure they experienced in the course of being abused. They know old uncle Charlie wasn’t supposed to touch them that way. They are angry that he did that to them but at the same time they feel shame because it felt good. Conflict and confusion as to why it felt good cause young boys who were abused by a man speculate that they must be gay. Conflict and confusion over the pleasure makes some young women feel perverse. They sometimes conclude that something must be wrong with them or that their only personal value is associated with their bodies.
Physically abused children often become adults who struggle to find their identity because in trying to find who they are they attempt to disassociate themselves with that child who was abused. Then there are those who were sexually abused that also try to separate themselves from the tiny personality that experienced the trauma and pain of being abused sexually. Sexually abused children often become adults who hide the internal shame they feel because of the pleasure they experienced in the course of being abused. They know old uncle Charlie wasn’t supposed to touch them that way. They are angry that he did that to them but at the same time they feel shame because it felt good. Conflict and confusion as to why it felt good cause young boys who were abused by a man speculate that they must be gay. Conflict and confusion over the pleasure makes some young women feel perverse. They sometimes conclude that something must be wrong with them or that their only personal value is associated with their bodies.
Pain is what we experience when an event is occurring. Suffering is what we experience long after the painful event has passed as we continue to relive the event over and over in our minds. Suffering causes internal conflict. The suffering must cease and that internal conflict must be resolved in order for a person to discover who they really are and where they are destined to go.
We have to reconcile with the suffering to cause it to end. There has to be forgiveness for the perpetrator for what they did and we have to forgive ourselves of the blame and shame that we place on ourselves as a result of it. There has to be an internal atonement (at-one-ment) with GOD for the sin consciousness, guilt or shame that we continue to carry. It has to be cast aside and we must get free of that mental space where we kept ourselves captive so that we can move on; go and grow. No one, not even GOD, can do this for us. We have to do it ourselves. Then we can stop doing the things we used to do, saying the things we said (particularly about ourselves) and thinking the things we thought. If we want to know who GOD intended us to be or our true identity, our mind, actions and words must become one. The key to resolving internal conflict lies in making what we do, say and think agree. Our mind, body and spirit must agree that whatever happened is just something that happened to us, it is NOT who we are!
The things that we do, say and think emerge from the core of our being and reveal the essence of who we really are. Those three are analogous to the body, spirit and mind respectively. The conflicts of life arrive when what we do, say and think do not agree or when our body, spirit and mind (which are separate entities like the Trinity; three but One) are in conflict constantly. Jesus said “How can two walk together except they agree?” We cannot have peace or harmony in the world or reach our GOD ordained destiny when our entities, that is, our selves or our mind, body and spirit, are in constant conflict. Thus our lives will be perpetually stormy and we will continually experience lack and poverty even in the midst of great prosperity.
Internal conflict causes us to act contrary to the will of GOD for our lives (aka sin) and thereby leads us away from our destiny. Reconciling this conflict is in actuality what Hebrews 10:25 “forsake not the assembly of ourSELVES together” was attempting to teach us before someone interpreted it as a command to “go” to church. That verse, when kept in context with the chapter, is teaching us to refrain from sin. Refraining from sin will prepare us to discover our identity and fulfill our destiny. The key to refraining from sin is resolving the conflict between mind, body and spirit within. Our mind, body and spirit are actually separate “selves” within us that each have their own wants and desires which attempt to make their own decisions. Thus the exhortation from GOD was to “assemble ourSELVES”; to bring the mind, body and spirit (our inner “selves”) into harmony internally and in harmony with HIS word. This is affirmed by Romans 12:1-2.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Neither Hebrews 10:25 nor Romans 12:1-2 is something that GOD is going to do for us. We must do them on our own. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth HIMSELF, even as he [My note: Jesus] is pure (1 John 3:3).”
It is imperative that we complete or fulfill the purpose that GOD sent us here to accomplish. That is the only way that we will hear “Well done thy good and faithful servant; enter ye into the joy of the Lord.” Therefore, it is critical that we not forsake the assembly of ourselves together. Our mind, body and spirit must agree or come into harmonic accord in order to find out our true identity and discover our GOD ordained destiny. Assembling our mind, body and spirit in unity will put our hearts in symphonic tune with the earth and the universe. Being in tune with the earth and universe gives us the ability to hear the melodic voice of GOD clearly, helps us to discover our true identity and gives GOD the authority to lead us into our destiny.
Those who don’t know who they really are and where they are going in life will have difficulty maintaining long lasting relationships. When we don’t know who we are there will always be people who will try to make us into what they want us to be. If we don’t know our true destiny there will always be people who will try to lead us to go with them or follow their vision. It will be difficult to continue to go along and get along with those people once we realize they were taking advantage of our uncertainty of who we are and where we should be. Ultimately, if we remain uncertain of our identity or destiny we will encounter other people who will also take advantage of us in some way. The cycle will continue until we come into the knowledge of who we are and where we are destined by GOD to be. Once we understand who we R it will be easy to determine where we R going.
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