Posture of Deference versus PDD

I just read the post "Deferring to God" on the Gifted for Leadership Blog at www.giftedforleadership.com and it struck a chord for me. Hillary Prag wrote about ministering with a woman named Alice who had found her security and identity in Christ enabling her to trust or "defer to" God rather than play God and try to please or fix everyone. To get the most out of this post you might want to read the post first.


What could have been misinterpreted for insensitivity or nonchalance was simple trust in God.
She was able to walk away from situations that most of us would tackle to resolve so we could stay in someone's favor. Hillary admitted that she and most of her contemporaries were visiciously competing for places of power and working incessantly to build an outstanding resume. Yet, Alice did nothing to impress others.


Alice didn't seem to need to work incessantly to impress or make everyone like her. She could walk off the job trusting that God was at work in the lives of the people she cared about so deeply. Hillary pointed out that "in a society where our identity is measured by our contribution it is much easier to translate our standing with God to our ministry performance."


Perception Deception Disorder is alive in well in the body of Chirst. Our culture tells us that our identity comes from what we do, how well we perform, the car we drive, the home we live in, the position we hold and our successes. This means our identity and self-worth will change with the economy, job losses or successes, crises, etc. Interpreting our standing with God by our performance is normal for those of us who are living in Perception Deception Disorder. This disorder has infected the church. But God chose Abraham to be the "Father of Many Nations" not because of anything He had done but because of who HE could make Abraham. Abraham taught us that the "just shall live by faith." By faith we accept our new identity in Christ of being complete, secure and significant.


When we find our Identity in Christ and who He says we are it never changes; our identity and self-worth are forever settled and sure. We are somebody, we are important, we are significant just because we are His -- His child, His heir, His temple, His bride, His body, His church, His chosen, called out new creations.


Alice was able to trust God because she is secure in God. Our security comes from God – just because we are His; not because of anything we have done. We are secure in His unconditional love, abounding grace and unlimited mercy. If He loved us while we were enemies how much more does He loves us now that we are his children? (Romans 5)

Hillary wondered what it would feel like to believe herself complete before going out to minister. A few words come to mind -- free, empowered, confident yet humble, competent yet trusting and light in spirit.

Colossians 2:8-10 says: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority."

We are made complete in Christ -- His presence and power residing in us in all the fullness of the Godhead. Our greatest accomplishments cannot compare with God in us.

Hillary wondered how "to find significance within herself rather than in acts of service." Refute the lie of our culture and PDD. Our significance comes from the same place -- not our intelligence, successes or contributions but from the image of Christ in us and the fullness of the Godhead dwelling within being expressed in all of its glory. Our significance comes from being royalty -- the child of the King of the Universe! It doesn't get much better. I'm a joint heir with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Once we rest in His security, identity and significance then our accomplishments and successes only serve to glorify Him. Alice was able to defer to God because she was not suffering from Perception Deception Disorder but fully identified in Christ, complete, secure and significant in who God had made her to be.

Wonder no more -- simply defer.