Lecture Notes: "Don't Lose You"

Key Question

• Have you ever lost something?
  • Common frustrations: keys, phones, remotes.
  • Real question: Have you ever lost yourself?

Losing vs. Remembering

• Losing things is about finding where something is.
• Losing yourself is about remembering who you are.
• Biblical reference: "Remember me" from the thief on the cross.

Self-Identity

• Importance of remembering oneself.
• Surviving does not mean all parts of you survived.
• Reflect on what has changed after difficult experiences.

Idolatry and Identity

• The greatest enemy to your identity is not the enemy but idolatry.
• Idolatry: excessive devotion to something other than God.
  • Example: prioritizing sports over spiritual growth.
• God desires priority, not exclusivity in our lives.

Source of Satisfaction

• Make God the source of satisfaction.
• Relationships, jobs, and material things should not be the source.
• "This joy that I have, the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away."

People-Pleasing

• People-pleasing leads to unhealthy relationships and self-betrayal.
• Notes on People-Pleasing:
  • It affects our identity.
  • It impacts our increase (success and blessings).
  • It impacts our intimacy with God.

Leah and Rachel: A Biblical Example

• Genesis 29:31: God saw Leah was unloved and enabled her to conceive.
  • Leah's struggle with people-pleasing and seeking love through performance.
• Each of Leah’s sons represents a season:
  • Reuben: misery
  • Simeon: rejection
  • Levi: loneliness
  • Judah: praise (when she stopped trying to please others).

Final Thoughts

• God sees you and is aware of your struggles.
• Divine setups: God is preparing something for you.
• Emphasis on establishing a priority relationship with God.
• "What you think about me matters less than what God thinks about me."

Action Points

• Start prioritizing God over people.
• Reflect on who or what has become an idol in your life.
• Work on building a relationship with God that informs your identity and actions.