Hype: Your Identity

Hype 1 Hype: Your Identity by Daniel Carandang written by Ana Andres When we hear the word “party”, what usually comes in to mind are things such as; music, DJ’S, dancing, alcohol, and maybe even drugs. We live in a liberated generation where there’s no stopping as long as there’s no hurting. “We can’t stop and we won’t stop!” as Miley Cyrus profoundly declares. If you put that song of hers in to simple words, it is basically about indulging in the pleasures of partying and never wanting to stop. After the release of its music video, it has gained millions of views and several criticisms for its explicitness. Despite tremendous hate, she continues to expose indulging in pleasures and sexuality through her music and videos and there is definitely no stopping her.  Why is she perceived so negatively? This is who she is. Why does partying usually connote immorality? This is who we are. We can’t do anything about it. We’re here to have fun and there’s nothing wrong with that. Why does it seem to be such a bad thing? But more so, is this who we really are? Is this what we’re really made to be? WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR IDENTITY? You see, it says in the bible that God created us (Genesis 1:28) and because God created us, it is only right that we find our identity in Him. He designed each and one of us for a purpose and not unless we know and seek God, we will never know what that is and will continue to find our identity in the wrong things. To illustrate this let me ask a rather foolish question, if you have an Apple iPhone, would you use the Nokia manual to figure out how to operate the iPhone? Of course not because Nokia isn’t the maker of the iPhone and likewise with us, God is our creator and therefore He has authority to determine how we ought to live and function. If we function based on another “manual” other than God, we are wasting away the precious “features” we have  and not be able to carry out our real purpose. So what? I want to live life the way I want to and nobody can tell me to live otherwise.  You have to understand that, “..we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10 You have to understand that we are God’s masterpiece. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)! We are made for greater things and there is so much more to the temporary happiness we experience by living life in our own terms. And because you are GOD’S MASTERPIECE.. YOU ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE Whether you believe in God or not, you are extremely valuable to Him. Even despite your filthy past or even present, you are valuable to Him just the same. Nothing can reduce your worth because your value is in God. Therefore if you truly understand this and see your life as valuable, you won’t waste your life away. You will take careful heed of your actions and you will continue to pursue the greater things you were made to have. You will no longer try to identify with the matters of the world because truth is, the world does not care about you. It gives temporary pleasures and happiness but in the end, will leave you feeling empty.      2. YOU ARE DEEPLY LOVED  God’s love for you is relentless. Only His love will fill that void in your heart. “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.”  Psalm 139:17-18 He is deeply and madly in love with us that His thoughts about us are more than the grains of sand. He knows everything about us; all of our pains and all of our sorrows. He hurts for us more than we do. Often we don’t understand it but that’s just because His love for us is  immensely vast and our limited being can not contain all of it. If that does not convince you, know that “..God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8  He loved you although you hurt Him and He continues to love you despite constantly failing Him. “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”  Isaiah 64:8 God made you and He made you for a purpose. Seek Him and unravel the mysteries of His love and then see the masterpiece that you truly are!