There is a basin human desire to know you belong. It might be to family, to a group, a club or something else, but we all are searching for our tribes. In most cases, we prefer to do it on our own terms. That’s especially true in this era. With so much emphasis placed upon the topic of “leadership,” we don’t like to think of ourselves as followers.
And we certainly don’t like to view ourselves as sheep.
However, as Edwards shares in this resolution, we don’t belong to ourselves. We belong fully to God. What does that even mean? Let’s find out.
Jonathan Edwards Resolution 43
Edwards’ Resolution #43 (in my modernized language) I will not act as if I were solely my own. Rather, I will think and act knowing I fully belong to God, and will live in ways that are agreeable to this truth.
On January 12, 1723, Jonathan Edwards made two resolutions (resolution #42 and #43, which is the basis of this post). He made resolution #45 the next day. Clearly, there was much that happened in his thought processes around that time. A study of his journal shows his fervent re-dedication to the commitment and oath he made to God upon his original dedication.
Edwards further states that we have no right to challenge God’s truths and even goes so far as to query if we are right to allow ourselves to experience emotions of joy and/or sorrow. You’ll be interested to know he concludes that we should, but only when they are properly understood as being a gift from God.
Obviously, much was going on in his mind at this time. It’s possible there was an event to provoke it. That’s further evidenced by his acknowledgement that we grow complacent or lack in our commitments when seeking easy roads.
If I were to add to that observation, I have find it happens most when I grow too focused on myself – on what I desire or emphasize things I don’t have.
A Fundamental Need to Know You Belong
Even if it were for the mere purposes of basic survival, people have sought to belong to a greater collective. As we’ve developed, we’ve established civic organizations, social groups, hobby clubs, and an endless assortment of associations for people to join. These groups rallied people around a common cause, such as organized crime, celebratory drinking, am radio, social activism, disease recovery, stamp collecting, genealogy, and a list that is, without question, endless.
In 2008, Seth Godin published the book, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, which offered a model for individuals and organizations to leverage tribes into more powerful movements. It’s because, as social media has shown, people get very emotionally vested in causes they believe in, sometimes even to the point of forsaking lifelong friendships and family members.
When You Feel Like You Don’t Belong
Perhaps this emotional reaction is more about our insecure desire to not be an outcast than it is to fit in. As a culture, we tend to look down upon individuals who are described as loners or hermits. We insinuate that there is something wrong with them or, at the very least, “not normal” (as if we actually know what normal is).
In addition, there are many ailments that exist from being disconnected from your tribe, or if you are unable to find you find your tribe. You may begin to question if and believe you are not normal. That there is something wrong with you. That there has got to be a reason for your isolation. It leads to and perpetuates a growing depression and a spiraling ache of dwindling self worth.
You Belong to God
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
– Psalm 100:3
I am expert on social service, nor am I training in mental illness care. And, I do have first-hand experience in both, though. However, I have seen and experience poverty of self-worth. Plus, I have had the great fortune of having people help me to rise above it and like believe I have helped others.
One thing I know that is something no tribe or other soul can take away is the fact that I belong to God. That God knows my name and welcomes me into his tribe.
You see, as Psalm 100:3 says, he is Lord and God. He made me and I am his possession. Because we emphasize leadership and being self-made in our culture, it’s hard for us to accept the role of being his “sheep” or that we don’t get to be Lord (the boss).
And that is unfortunate.
Probably even worse, we don’t like to think of ourselves as dumb sheep. We don’t like to think of ourselves as creatures watering around a pasture looking for food and crapping everywhere. But, when you think about it, that is what we are. We are people wandering around the pasture of this world, making exhaust of some type with every step.
Make no doubt about it: God is our shepherd. And we are his sheep.
Make no doubt about it: God is our king. And we are his citizens.
Make no doubt about it: Because of God, you are saved.