Jamaican Diaspora: Nature

Page 20

Redemption: A Calling of Our Divine Spirit to be Truly Free

B

In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity. — Erik Erikson

ut by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

The Bible - 1 Corinthian 15:10 During the almost two years of retreating to my home due to the covid pandemic, I have had time to revisit myself, review my life, refresh my way of thinking, and reaffirm who I really am. Finding out what is truly important, necessary and beneficial to sustain a life that is nurtured spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically have become my absolute quest. I have realized that the discovery and acknowledgement of our identity - Latin meaning: “oneness and sameness”, and the present day Oxford definition: “the fact of being who or what a person or thing is,” must be our number one priority in life. If we do not know ourselves, we are like a rudderless ship, and a lamp with no light. How do we find who we truly are, and therefore be truly free?

20

Jamaican Diaspora

Retreat to the place of inner self and seek the Divine Have you ever just retreated to a quiet place, without the noise and hubbub of life, and just allow your inner self to have a dialogue with the divine? I have numerous times throughout my life. I speak with the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent Creator who made creation. I did not even need a Bible, I saw God in the wonders of nature and the miracle of my birth, which I had no control over. I seek. I find. What the Bible did for me was confirm that God is merciful and loving in spite of my shortcomings. I acknowledge Him, He comes into my heart, and I seek His Will because I recognize very quickly I of myself cannot sustain me. I can’t do anything without the breath of God. I now have peace and can live confidently knowing I am a child of God. The rewards that comes with my identity in God in Christ is that I have the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – all the qualities that most human beings yearn for.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.