Messy Christmas

It’s been three days since Christmas Eve and I’m at peace with the exception of the whole world around me spinning. I’m fine, I don’t really know why. Things with the family are a little messy, youth ministry is escalating into madness and I’m physically exhausted from a lack of sleep; but, I’m still at peace. I guess I’m at peace because I know God is at work. I know that even though things are not bright in life that God is hard at work. He is always working hard, but this time I can feel it, I can feel it strong.
I had a conversation on Christmas with a very good friend about whether or not we are really worthy people. It’s hard not to feel as if we are being punished for all the sin we have committed in life; however, God doesn’t punish us, we punish ourselves. And when we look at our mistakes and give up hope we suffer even more. And because we suffer we carry this burden that holds us down. Christ’ sacrifice allows us to shake our burden, He died for all of our messy and dirty sins. If we don’t allow God to forgive our sins that they begin to shape our identity. We no longer become a child of God and instead become alcoholics, addicts, full of hate and depressed people. It’s important we shape our identity around God because then we become what we were really created to be.
On January 6th we begin our series on Identity for the High School and Middle School series. I hope that we can help the teens shape their Identity around God.