How do you let God work through you when you don't know who you are? // 如果你唔知道你喺邊個，你點俾神用啊？

When I think about it, it is sad that the idea of "iceberg" has become a cliche at our church.  There is a lot of truth in the "iceberg".  On the surface is the identity we show to the world, what we want the world to see who you are.  Under the surface, it is actually who you are and the one who makes the decisions.  There are things underneath the surface we don't want the world to see - the skeletons in the closest, and even things we don't about.  The sum of all these parts makes up who we are.

當我想起來，喺我哋教會"冰山"已經變成一個口頭禪。但係"冰山"真喺有好深的意思。表面上冰山面啲嘢喺我地想俾人見啲嘢。冰山底啲嘢喺我地唔想俾人見道啲嘢，甚至我地自己都唔知啲嘢。整個冰山就喺我地全個人。

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按他旨意被召的人。
羅馬書8：28

All these parts are the "all things" God is working for His good.  Even the painful and shameful things we are trying to hid from the world.  If we don't even know what's underneath the surface in our iceberg how do we let God work these "all things" for his good according to his purpose?

And what is God's purpose?

神用我哋啲"萬事"得益處。甚至我哋唔見得光啲嘢。如果我哋都唔知道我哋冰山底有啲乜嘢，我哋點可以俾神用我哋啲"萬事"呢？
同埋神的旨意系乜嘢？

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.
Romans 8:29a

因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法他兒子的模樣
羅馬書8：29

To be conformed to the image of his Son.  God is working with the "all things" in our lives so that we become like the image of his Son.  Not so that we will merely say a magical prayer of confession and become a well behaving Christians, we are to become the image of his Son.  The center of God's will and purpose is that he will take all that we are and our "all things" (note: my "all things", by the grace of God, are different from your "all things") and make us become the image of his Son.

If we don't even know who we are - if we don't even own up to the "all things" in our lives - how do we let God work it according to his purpose for us to be like his Son.  God's work is not done went we merely say a prayer of confession and accept Jesus as our God and Saviour - so don't make it your goal to merely lead someone to Christ.  God's purpose is for us all to be conform to the image of his Son.  And this goal is not attained until we are in our glorious new bodies after this life.  So make it your goal to encourage each other to own up to our individual "all things" and challenge each other to become Christ like.

The original definition of Christians: a group of people having or showing qualities of Christ.  "Little Christs".  Stop acting like Christians!?!  BE LIKE CHRIST - with all the "all things" God has given you.

神用我哋啲"萬事"所以我哋會似他兒子的模樣。唔喺決志信主咁簡單，但係我哋要似神嘅兒子。神嘅旨意就要用我哋啲"萬事"嚟改造我哋所以我哋會似衪嘅兒子個樣。如果我哋都唔知道我哋自己喺邊個，或者我哋都唔接受我哋啲"萬事"，我哋點樣俾神按他嘅旨意讓我哋似衪兒子的模樣？神嘅工作唔喺單單要我哋決志信主，所以唔好顧住帶人信主咁簡單，但喺我哋要帶人同帶自己，接受我哋啲"萬事"，似耶穌個樣。
舊陣時啲人叫信徒造基督徒因為佢哋似基督。我哋自己叫自己做基督徒我哋喺唔喺似基督呢？用神俾我哋嘅"萬事"嚟似基督個樣啦！

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalms 139:13,14

我的肺腑是你所造的；我在母腹中，你已覆庇我。
我要稱謝你，因我受造，奇妙可畏；你的作為奇妙，這是我心深知道的。
詩篇139：13，14

God fearfully and wonderfully made us, he will work our "all things" for good according to his purpose.  Even the "all things" underneath the surface in our iceberg - ESPECIALLY the "all things" underneath the surface in our iceberg.

神奇奇妙妙哋創造你，也會用我哋啲"萬事"得益處。甚至我哋冰山底嘅"萬事"。尤其是我哋冰山底嘅"萬事"！