What is Authentic?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Uncategorized, blessings, random ramblings, serving God

I’ve tossed around the word authentic a lot lately — I want to be authentic. I want authenticity in my friendships.  I want an authentic ministry.

It hit me last night…. what do I mean?  What am I saying?  Am I just tossing around a word that sounds good.  And yes, I’ve done a lot of that in my past.

Authentic means real, true, not a fake.  But truly, what does that mean?

How do I live authentic?

Does it mean I have to tell you ALL about me?  Oh, for your sake, I hope not.  It’s 65 parts boring and the rest you don’t want to know about.

To be authentic, I have to trust that God is God and He alone rules my heart and my life.  I have to keep my eyes on Him, the author and finisher of my faith.

To be authentic, I have to live life daily in the way the Lord has laid out for me.  This means I don’t manipulate situations to my benefit or enjoyment.  This means that some days are just stinking HARD.  It also means God has a plan for my life each and EVERY day of it.

To be authentic, I have to trust God’s plan for my life and accept the sins of my past.  I have to look to God to use all things (even the yucky, icky stuff) for His great GLORY.

To be authentic, I CANNOT look to people to increase my position, my standing, my popularity — as an authentic girl I will trust God to bring the right people into my life and I will trust God’s plan for my life.

To live an authentic life, I have to grasp that God’s plan for my life is much greater than my plan and I have to walk in that plan even when it is FAR different than what I’d thought.

To live an authentic life, I will serve where God places my feet and I will rejoice in the knowledge that He is God.

I’m truly blessed to be where I am today.  I’m stunned that God would allow me to minister to His girls through gIRL: Girlfriends in Real Life and through speaking.  I don’t understand why He gives me this, but I accept His incredible grace and pray that all I do will glorify Him.

What you believe it means to be authentic?

Comments

One Response to “What is Authentic?”

  1. Leah on July 3rd, 2010 3:57 pm

    Mary,

    I agree with all of what you said. To me to be authentic means to be transparent–to live a see-through life.

    It means to do exactly what Romans 12:3 says—make an honest assessment of my life. Admit that what the Bible says about me is true—I’m a fallen woman who is desperately in need of God to help me live a life that blesses others and pleases Jesus.

    Authenticity means that I do NOT always have it all together and I don’t try to act like I do. It means that I allow Jesus to live through me and help me have His mind.

    Authentic~~to be real; not an actor.

    Leah