Sometimes we all need to be reminded who we are. Not that we’ve forgotten ourselves, but because we often forget who we are in Christ.
If you’ve watched The Lion King movie before, you’ll be familiar with Simba, the rightful heir of Mufasa’s kingdom. After the death of his father, Mufasa, Simba was only a child, but he was threatened and chased out of the territory by wolves, as directed by his very mean uncle, Scar.
He nevertheless found supportive friends who helped him move on with life without worries. One day, he was met by “Rafiki”, who happened to know him and his father well. By then, Simba was all grown, looking like Mufasa in stature. Rafiki encouraged him to return to Pride Rock, his rightful territory, and take over leadership from Scar, who had become a disgrace by causing all animals to be miserable.
Simba adamantly refused to return, giving every excuse. Rafiki took him to a place where his father appeared to him. The conversation that took place is priceless:
Mufasa: Simba.
Simba: Father?
Mufasa: Simba, you have forgotten me.
Simba: No! How could I?
Mufasa: You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba? You are more than what you have become. You need to take your place in the cycle of life.
Simba: How can I go back? I’m not who I used to be.
Mufasa: Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king.
Remember who you are!
Does this conversation resonate with you as it does to me? I find it so strikingly reflective of our relationship with God. I see in it God’s amazing love and mercy upon His children. I see the Father-child relationship which cannot be broken by anything. I see the powers bestowed upon us believers, just by virtue of being children of God. It also strongly highlights that sense of belonging in the kingdom of God.
Hallelujah!
Remember Who You Are!
Simba had to be reminded to take his rightful place in Pride Rock. At some point, Rafiki, the monkey even had to spank Simba all to remind him who he was!😅😅
Some of us need this reminder today … plus a spank!😅
Remember Who You Are…
You are God’s beloved child called to declare His goodness.
…and yes!
You are not worthless!
I recently bumped into a letter that one of Owuor’s adherents wrote and couldn’t believe the level at which members stoop to Owuor in this day and age, all in the name of God.
“Your unworthy son?”
Unfortunately yes, you read that right!
You’ll be forgiven to think that the letter was being addressed to God. But even so, when we commit our lives to God, we become His children. We are forgiven and we do not need to feel worthless.
At what point does someone bow that low to a human being to an extent of worshipping them? It’s hard to understand how brainwashing happens, as even those who’ve lived the experience often cannot believe how they once were:
Perhaps knowing what the terms “repentance and holiness” actually mean in R&H will shade some light. But that’s a huge topic for another day.
To highlight a key issue about it briefly, it is worth knowing that in R&H, members always feel guilty. They are always in a repentant mode, and if you know how they repent, then you know how sorrowful and bitter they can always be.
Previous members report that they were always made to repent over various things; and that sometimes they didn’t even know why they were repenting! Many times they’d fast for several days in sackcloths as they awaited on Owuor to tell them when to stop.
Basically, you can see how difficult is is to feel forgiven in R&H and how such a state could contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and unworthiness.
Cult leaders know that they won’t be able to control someone effectively without first lowering their self-esteem and making them feel useless and dependent on them.
Unfortunately, such extreme feelings of uselessness before a human being leads to vulnerability and breeds a victim mentality, which puts them in a state of unquestioning obedience to anything the cult leader says to do, even when it is dangerous, or doesn’t make sense.
You Matter!
While people who’ve quit R&H now despise writings that show unworthiness, the effects of being belittled and looked down upon for months or even years while in the cult could still linger and if not dealt with, could hamper emotional, physical spiritual growth and psychosocial well-being.
That’s why I am here to remind you today that just in case your brain is still playing up with you, reminding you how worthless and useless you are before human beings, remember …
You Matter!
You matter so much so that Jesus had to personally come to earth to be born as a human being for your sake.
He calls you a friend…
A joint heir (Romans 8:17) and
His very own masterpiece: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).
There is only one of you, created and fashioned by God for a specific purpose. Never give an excuse for being YOU!
Finding Jesus = Finding Who You Are
There’s no better way to know who you are, and to actually feel that you matter than to find your purpose. But it’s impossible to find your purpose without finding the one who created you, because only He has the master plan.
Once you find God and begin a relationship with Him, you’ll experience the love that only He can give and as you continue abiding in Him, you will know more about who you are in Christ.
The late Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias, couldn’t have said it better:
“What it means to find your destiny is to find your creator...It's not not who you are alone that defines you, but whose you are."
Remember who you are!
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