´óÏó´«Ã½

A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Rev Carolyn Skinner

Good morning.

British long jumper, Jazmin Sawyers recently posted a video on social media expressing her disappointment at being unable to compete at the Olympics due to injury. In the video, she also talks about how important it is to have an identity outside of sport because when that’s taken away, you need to know who you are and be confident that you have value.

It’s such an important message, and so refreshing to hear. For many sports people their lives are constantly judged on performance. You can be at the top of your game and adored by millions, and in no time at all, you can lose that lead and be forgotten. And it’s not just in sport. In many areas of life we can place our sense of identity in those things that we achieve, the status we have earned, and yet those external elements are temporary.

Our sense of identity is vital to our wellbeing, it anchors us, it is our security. Many people find their personal faith in God provides them with a stable sense of identity and purpose.

As a Christian I believe that our identity starts with God’s identity. For me I have to know who he is in order to fully understand who I am. Understanding God as love therefore means we are all made with love, to love, and are loved – unconditionally, regardless of achievements or status. I then learn to live from a place of affirmation, not for a place of affirmation.

Loving God, I pray that all people would see themselves as valued and worthy of love, to know that truth in the core of their being, so that everything stems from that place of security.

Amen.