1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Self-identity is at the core of who we are, for what we believe that we are, is who we are and will be, or so we think. We decide who we are and how what our perspective is. On a very basic level we can choose to be an optimist or a pessimist. Many of us believe this is just our nature and that we can't change whether or not we are a pessimist or an optimist. This appears to be true, if we are born into a family of optimists, we will more than likely be an optimist. We can also choose to rebel and be a pessimist within a family of optimists' and be the "black sheep" of the family. We can be born into a family of pessimists such as I was and become a pessimist just like we were taught by our family such as I did.
We can also choose we don't like being a pessimist and decide to see the world as bright and beautiful instead of dark and depressing such as I did. We can choose to ignore all the dark and depressing thoughts and only focus our attention on the bright and positive thoughts such as I did. We can make the personal choice to go from being a pessimist to an optimist such as I did. I don't tell you about my experiences to brag or to bring about sympathies or condolences, I simply relay my experiences in order that you may find hope, hope of another way, hope of something better, and hope that you too will find your peace so we may all live in peace together as it was, as it is, and as it shall ever be by the grace of God.
We choose how we see ourselves and how we perceive our reality. Pessimism and optimism are simply one way to see the world among thousands upon thousands. Who we think we are is how we see our reality. Since we all identify with different realities in this world, the disciples of Christ are able to take on a chameleon type appearance to the people still within the world. We are able to be anything to anyone at any given time for our identity is in Christ is on solid ground and we no longer crave the identities within this world. Since Christ is our identity, God works as one with the disciples of Christ and we will appear into the minds of those who need us when they need us and as they need to see us.
At the core of all of our beliefs and the center of our identity is simply one of two beliefs. We believe that we are evil sinners in need of punishment. We believe that we have fallen from the grace of God and are somehow separate from everything else and are watching existence from the outside of itself looking in. We believe that we are in desperate need of forgiveness and are destined to live out eternity in torment. Or... we believe that we are perfect in every way and that God or the source or the creator or the universe didn't make any mistakes, and everything is exactly as it should be.
The first belief brings about nothing but pain and suffering. The second belief brings about everlasting peace. We all decide what we believe, we all have the free will to choose our belief. There is only one truth, both cannot be true at the same time, they are conflicting beliefs. We try to believe both at the same time and compromise, but truth doesn't compromise. Having conflicting beliefs creates chaos and confusion leading to misery and despair. Choose to believe that everything is as it should be including yourself and live in peace. Choose to believe that you are a sinner in need of punishment and live in confusion for nothing will make sense in a world that is believed to be something other than it is. Love and Peace!
