Fact, fate and faith

Tonight the Bible study was somewhat brief. For me it was not so much an issue with ridding my closet of my own labels, but for providing myself with encouragement in the face of others placing labels on me. Jennifer starts off by having us distinguish between fact lables and fate labels.

My fact labels: wife, Christian, stay-at-home mom... These were my top three. I chose to focus on the stay-at-home mom label. Now after recieving or adopting this fact label, I can do one of two things-- I could label myself with a fate label (one where my fate rests in this label...my nutshell explaination) or a faith label (where my fate is in God's hands). Well, my personal experience with having this fact label is that I do not assign myself a fate label. I have some family members and/or anonymous readers who have assigned many fate labels to me for this fact label. I have been called lazy, crazy, incompetent and incapable of keeping a real job, cruel, misguided...

[As a side note, I bring this up, not to jab at anon (who is no longer able to find me) but to share because I know many stay-at-home moms and I am sure this is an issue many of us experience. Maybe not with family so much, but with old friends, collegues, new friends, associates... We may even just live under the paranoia that these people think these things about us without ever actually hearing them say as much.  I don't think this is unheard of. It does happen and here is how I deal with it and what Jennifer says about fate labels...]

Instead of pinning on these labels, I have assigned myself faith labels. If you have read my blogs in the past you know what I am referring to (if not read this)-- I have been guided into my decision to take this label not by my own forethoughts and plans... quite the opposite. God chose me and had/has a plan for me. So as I may struggle with imposed labels from others, financial strain, emotional baggage (ok, so I guess all moms have this), boredom, feelings of uselessness, and all of the other struggles I have in my line of work--life, I can rest assured that God has chosen this as my path. He has plans for me to prosper, He has called me daughter (how many dads set bad plans in motion for their daughters?), He fills my every need, He holds me in His hand, He has written my name in His story-- His Book of Life... I can rest assured that I am walking in His shadow and following His plan for my life no matter what others think of me. I can rest assured that He will keep His promises to me-- the scriptural promises as well as His Word spoken to me/ prophesied.

Isn't this part of what the Bible says to meditate on, His promises. Psalm 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. I meditate on these promises. When my fact labels start to feel like a burden to me, I usually have no problem remembering the faith labels: Servant of God, Obedient child, Blessed by God, Chosen by God, Graced by God, Follower of God, Friend of God-- I think this is the most amazing effect that talking to God and listening to Him talk to me has-- it let's me know that I AM saved no matter what others may think or say. Why would God speak to me and guide me if He didn't know me. The Bible says many who call on Him will be told away from me for I do not know you. It also says His sheep will hear and recognize His voice. I am His sheep and how many shepherds would not risk their lives even for one sheep. How many shepherds would not take care of their sheep's needs.

So if you have experienced fate labels either self imposed or imposed by others attached to your fact label (a disability, illness, disaster, role in life...) remember your faith labels. Remember who holds you so dear-- dear enough to call you friend and daughter.