Divine Origins and the Quest for Self-Definition

At the core of human existence lies an astonishing paradox: we have received life as a gift from a higher power, yet at the same time we constantly strive to define our own essence. In the beginning, our form is set by an eternal spark reminiscent of divine creation, serving as a reminder that our origin is not the result of our personal efforts. Yet it is precisely in the struggle for our own “self” that the profound drama of the human soul is revealed, where every effort at self-expression carries with it a challenge to fate.

In the process of self-identification, we are confronted with the eternal question of who is truly the creator: the higher power or the human being who strives to realize his unique potential? This dilemma propels us to seek harmony between the received gift and the drive for self-realization. The awareness that we are not completely independent creations allows us to appreciate the greatness of the gift we have been given by channeling our energy into nurturing the inner spark that burns within each of us.

Ultimately, true strength does not lie in the pursuit of complete autonomy, but rather in the continuous search for truth—a balance between the legacy of divine origin and the personal aspiration for perfection. This path, filled with challenges and discoveries, reminds us of the value of every moment on the journey toward self-improvement and spiritual growth.

How do you understand the idea of self-identification in light of the notion that God created man in order for him to create himself?

The idea of self-identification, when viewed through the assertion that God created man for him to create himself, reflects the profound paradox of human existence. On one hand, man has a divine origin—his creation is an act of volitional instillation of the soul by the Almighty, underscoring that a man’s origin is not the result of his own efforts but comes from a higher source. On the other hand, human life implies an active striving for self-realization, a desire to independently define one’s own essence and destiny.

As noted in one of the significant reflections present in the cited material from file link :

"But if I am so wondrous,
Whence I came is unknown,
And I could not have been of myself...
That a man did not create himself is obvious to him.
The pretension to create the Absolute would at the same time mean the pretension to create the entire world and himself.
Such a pretension is insane..."

This quotation suggests that self-identification, understood as the attempt to create oneself, contradicts the natural order of being, where the initial act of creation originates from God. The man who has received life and a soul from the Creator is faced with a challenge—to become worthy of the gift that was given to him—yet he cannot fully present himself as an entirely autonomous creation capable of complete self-creation.

Another aspect of this idea is emphasized in the reflections on the interrelation between creator and creation when the question is raised: "Who, then, is creating the other: the God of man or the man of God?" (from the same source, link ). Here the idea is expressed that a man’s attempt to place himself in the position of the Creator deprives him of an understanding of his true dependence on the higher power. Self-identification, therefore, acquires meaning not in the absolutization of the self but in the recognition of the predestined and eternal significance of the divine origin that defines human essence.

In summary, the idea of self-identification in this context implies the necessity of finding a balance between the active development of one’s personality and the recognition that the true “self” of man is given from above. Man cannot radically create himself "out of nothing", but he is called to reveal and develop the inner divine spark that was instilled in him. This awareness of his created nature prompts a continual search for truth and a harmonious balance between his own self and the divine plan.

Supporting citation(s):
"But if I am so wondrous,
Whence I came is unknown,
And I could not have been of myself...
That a man did not create himself is obvious to him.
The pretension to create the Absolute would at the same time mean the pretension to create the entire world and himself.
Such a pretension is insane ('the madman speaks in his heart—there is no God'!)
Man does not create himself out of nothing; rather, he discovers himself as created and wonders: Who, with hostile power, called me out of insignificance?
I arose not by my own power from an unknown depth of being, and I was called to an unknown purpose ('life, why have you been given to me?').
This is the mystery of creation, the miracle of creation, the feeling of being created with its accompanying astonishment." (source: link )

"In this no one doubts: neither the credulous Greek poets (as St. Paul noted), nor the skeptical Xenophanes, nor Feuerbach, nor Freud and Jung. But who among them creates the other: the God of man or the man of God?
Who is primary, who is the prototype (archetype), who is the primordial being and who is merely the reflection?
It is enough to pose the question to eliminate the bewilderment of man-worship.
In his metaphysical inquiry of 'from whence and unto what end?' man strives to reflect the primordial being and the ultimate meaning of existence.
In the very question, in his basic state of affairs, he recognizes his dependence, his conditionality, his non-primordiality." (source: link )