Stop Living Like an ImposterMinta

What changed? In Genesis 25 you read how Jacob seized an opportunity to trick his brother into giving up his birthright. This wasn’t a calculated encounter, this was opportunistic. However, when you believe someone other than yourself is in your way, your thoughts are consumed with how to remove them. Imposter syndrome tells you other people are the cause of your feelings, and you start to believe “If only they were out of the picture, I wouldn’t feel like this.” Jacob may have seized the moment, but he had been allowing feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and resentment towards his brother to fester under the surface. He was ready for any opportunity to remove him from the picture. Imposter syndrome when unresolved, affects not only you but also those around you. You may feel you are suffering in silence but your actions towards others you perceive to be in your way are speaking for you. You will compromise your character in ways that once would’ve been unthinkable, and you won’t wrestle with the morality of your decision to be deceitful, but with the concern of being caught in the act. In today's passage, you will read how Jacob deceives his father and pretends to be his brother to receive the blessing set aside for Esau. This is a turning point for Jacob. He goes from experiencing imposter syndrome, wanting to be his brother, to becoming an impostor and pretending to be him. He is about to seal the next chapter of his life by stealing someone else’s. Have you ever pretended to be someone else? Maybe not to the level of deception like Jacob who physically alters his appearance, but have you pretended to have certain gifts and abilities, but you truly don’t? Have you tried to emulate somebody so much because they are doing what you want to do that you’ve neglected who you are, and instead of developing your character you have cultivated a persona? Take note of what is happening in this passage. Rebekah’s influence, Jacobs's reaction to the plan and ask yourself these questions- What or who is influencing you right now to make you believe you are not good enough? If someone asked me, who am I, would I answer truly or would I answer as my persona character? (The person you are pretending to be) How far am I willing to go to deceive people I am someone I am not?