Who
am I?
By Brita Crouse
“Then King David
went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: ‘Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and
what is my family, that you have brought me this far?’”
2 Samuel 7:18 (NIV)
Who
am I? I’m a twenty-two-year-old college graduate. I’m a sister, daughter, and
friend. I love music, good conversation, and cooking. But, it wasn’t until
recently that I saw any of these things as blessings.
I
have this problem: I compare blessings. I see things that other people have or
can do and immediately compare my blessings to their blessings. For instance,
many of my friends are getting married or starting jobs. So, naturally, I
think, “Where’s my husband?” or “How come I don’t have my
dream job with a $60,000 starting salary
yet?”…instead of thanking God for what I do
have. Have you ever caught yourself
thinking things like that before? It’s silly, really, when you see those
thoughts written out.
Think
of it this way: Would you like to receive the same gift as all of your friends?
God blesses each of us in different ways, according to our own individual
needs. He lavishes His love on us in ways that are best for us. As much as I
would like to get married someday, now is definitely not the time. So why am I
comparing my situation to my friends who are?
It’s
in those moments of comparison where I have to stop and ask God, “Who am I,
that you have brought me this far?” Who am I that God has allowed me to
graduate college in three and a half years? Who am I that God has given me a
family and friends who love me? Who am I that God has sanctioned gifts and
abilities that are unique to me?
David
asks God the same question after he is reminded of how far he has come. David
was brought out of a sheep pasture to become the ruler over Israel. He defeated
his enemies with God protecting him, and God was always with him. And, he
wasn’t comparing his situation to those around him. He was grateful! These are
some serious blessings, and David acknowledged that, yet it was still hard for
him to fathom.
When
we can take time to say, “Who am I, God, that you have brought me this far?”
and recognize our own blessings, we will experience that same kind of awe David
did.
GOING
DEEPER:
1. How has God blessed you this week? Take time
to thank God for those blessings.
2. Keep a list for the next week of things you
are thankful for.
FURTHER
READING:
Brita recently
graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Psychology, has been
attending Oakwood for sixteen
years, and is currently part of our Just Among Moms weekly childcare team.
