I feel like now more than ever my peers are struggling deeply with the questions, "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" They want a job that is more than just a way to bring in money, they want to do something that they love. My generation want to make a difference in the world using their God-given talents. Problem is, there aren't many jobs out there that look like hobbies with pay. That is, if you even know what you want to do...for the rest of your life.
When you don't know what you want to do with your life it is hard to be confident. When you cannot separate what you do from who you are as a person its easy to feel lost. More and more I see peers define themselves by things and people around them. It is like we are still in high school. Awkward and unsure of ourselves most of the time.
Then we encounter someone who knows who they are. And they are awesomely confident, not like someone who uses confidence to act like a douchebag. These people who know who they really are, are attractive and terrifying. I have seen friends interact with a truly confident person and it makes them uncomfortable. It makes me uncomfortable too.
It dawned on me last week, when I heard someone bashing a confident someone else that as a generation we yearn for confidence. But at the same time we are not comfortable with people who have figured out who they are as a child of God. Misery does love company. We want to be lost and confused together.
The sad truth is that so many people never figure out who they are in Christ. They can go their whole lives without really having the chance to live confidently in who they are created to be. And they will spend their lives trying to douse the confidence others have found. Breaks my heart.
In the last few months I have really begun to see my beauty as a daughter of God. Realizing that I love the ridiculous and being goofy. I love laughing and being unconventional.
But I have also learned how quickly that spark of confidence can be extinguished. So here's to finding a bonfire of confidence that cannot be put out by others who have not found their spark yet.
Moreover, here's hoping that my bonfire will ignite someone else's spark.
A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
John 10:10 The Message
Photo courtesy of Littleman
There's a lot to chew on in here.
ReplyDeleteI think it takes many of us quite a while to figure out how to take what we're good at and combine it with what we enjoy and what we can get paid for. When it comes together, it looks right and natural. Most people don't see the life that went into getting there.
Being lost and confused together---yup---misery does love company. How do you take that communal discontent and channel it to help each other become found and content together? I don't know, but it's worth more ruminating!