Today's post is by guest writer Joanne Beckley.
When we wake up each morning, what are our first thoughts when we look in the mirror? Euw! Look what the cat dragged in. . . or . . . Well! Maybe there’s hope for you. . .
Why do I ask this? For a while now everywhere we turn we have been hearing or reading about self-image. It is considered if we are successful we have a good self-image. If we have a bad self-image everyone automatically believes this is the cause of our unhappiness and failure. Obviously, this being the case, a lot of people are concerned about their self-image.
Should we be concerned about our self-image? Yes, because how we view ourselves will influence every area of our lives, including how we relate to others and how we deal with personal inner conflicts. Our feelings of inferiority (or over-blown pride) or a healthy self-respect will dictate our words and our actions–and therefore how others view us.
We hear the doctors tell us that if we feel inferior, lowly, substandard, then it is because (1) our parents have played out a heavy hand, and (2) we were obviously rejected and abused, even though we may not remember the occasion(s). But this is the reasoning of man. God has given us a different path of reason. "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free", John 8:31,23.
TRUTH frees us. Frees us from what? The slavery of Sin, Romans 6:18. When we accept that Jesus’ blood will free us, including our feelings of inferiority, we can see ourselves in a different kind of mirror, a truthful mirror. James 1:25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Yes, this mirror will help us tear down and build anew.
Perhaps we are struggling with frustration, even anger concerning what we see in ourselves. We might be having thoughts such as: Does God understand who I really am? Yes, I have been buried in the waters of baptism, but I am so very sinful. There is basically no hope of any real freedom. We might not verbalize these deeply hidden thoughts, but we might be living them. Let us go back to Romans 6:18: “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Therein is the rub. Putting off the old man of sin is not a stopping place, but rather through major efforts we are to follow God’s instructions of putting on Christ, correcting and training our vision to see God’s mirror in its true image and go on to accomplish every good work, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
The real question is, do I believe Jesus can help me correct my bad vision? When we come to Him and desire to be set free, we must accept where we are coming from, what we have inherited. Each of us entered this world without choice in several areas. Life itself, our physical appearance, who our parents are, and the society that had its part in teaching us– they all play their part in who we are. God also gave us natural abilities and intelligence. If we reject any of these gifts, we will not be able to see our real selves. They are a part of who we are. An African man described it thus: “If we remove the sticks from the kraal (cattle enclosure), we destroy ourselves.” Loss of cattle is serious stuff for this identifies how this man views himself and how he respects his ancestors. Obviously, we are not to worship our ancestors, but we too must not try to remove our heritage. Let us build on and improve the gifts God has given us.
Deuteronomy 32:46-47 "Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe-all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life.”
What bends our view of God’s mirror? Sin. A lack of faith. It is like there are two mirrors. Yours and God’s. When we are baptized, if we are not careful, we will try to retain our old mirror that should have been destroyed by faith in God’s power to change us. Instead, we drag out the old mirror, thinking we are looking at God’s mirror. Why is it so difficult to change? Because we want our comfort zone. We have adopted this image of feeling worthless and have invested many years in tearing ourselves down. Throughout the years we have compared ourselves to others and been found wanting. We have set unrealistic goals instead of working toward a useful destination. We continue to moan and excuse ourselves over a past that cannot be changed.
How do we change our attitude toward our lives? We must do just as the alcoholic must do–one day at a time, facing our addiction, learning truth about ourselves, our Lord and our God. Let us admit our failure to trust God, asking Him for forgiveness, never doubting. When we find ourselves whining in self-pity, we must stop, and verbally admit what we have just done. We can learn to be thankful, voicing our thanksgiving not only in prayer, but in our words and actions. Let us reach out to serve God and one another, even our enemies. By
DOING good works, we CHANGE our negative attitude to one of positive joy.
1John 5:3-5 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
My sister, Glenda Schales, has written a song taken from Isaiah 60 that you have probably sung yourself. I pray, may you “arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you...Lift up your eyes round about and see...and be radiant and your heart will thrill and rejoice...because He has glorified you...and you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel...You will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory.”
Joanne Beckley
When we wake up each morning, what are our first thoughts when we look in the mirror? Euw! Look what the cat dragged in. . . or . . . Well! Maybe there’s hope for you. . .
Why do I ask this? For a while now everywhere we turn we have been hearing or reading about self-image. It is considered if we are successful we have a good self-image. If we have a bad self-image everyone automatically believes this is the cause of our unhappiness and failure. Obviously, this being the case, a lot of people are concerned about their self-image.
Should we be concerned about our self-image? Yes, because how we view ourselves will influence every area of our lives, including how we relate to others and how we deal with personal inner conflicts. Our feelings of inferiority (or over-blown pride) or a healthy self-respect will dictate our words and our actions–and therefore how others view us.
We hear the doctors tell us that if we feel inferior, lowly, substandard, then it is because (1) our parents have played out a heavy hand, and (2) we were obviously rejected and abused, even though we may not remember the occasion(s). But this is the reasoning of man. God has given us a different path of reason. "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free", John 8:31,23.
TRUTH frees us. Frees us from what? The slavery of Sin, Romans 6:18. When we accept that Jesus’ blood will free us, including our feelings of inferiority, we can see ourselves in a different kind of mirror, a truthful mirror. James 1:25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Yes, this mirror will help us tear down and build anew.
Perhaps we are struggling with frustration, even anger concerning what we see in ourselves. We might be having thoughts such as: Does God understand who I really am? Yes, I have been buried in the waters of baptism, but I am so very sinful. There is basically no hope of any real freedom. We might not verbalize these deeply hidden thoughts, but we might be living them. Let us go back to Romans 6:18: “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Therein is the rub. Putting off the old man of sin is not a stopping place, but rather through major efforts we are to follow God’s instructions of putting on Christ, correcting and training our vision to see God’s mirror in its true image and go on to accomplish every good work, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
The real question is, do I believe Jesus can help me correct my bad vision? When we come to Him and desire to be set free, we must accept where we are coming from, what we have inherited. Each of us entered this world without choice in several areas. Life itself, our physical appearance, who our parents are, and the society that had its part in teaching us– they all play their part in who we are. God also gave us natural abilities and intelligence. If we reject any of these gifts, we will not be able to see our real selves. They are a part of who we are. An African man described it thus: “If we remove the sticks from the kraal (cattle enclosure), we destroy ourselves.” Loss of cattle is serious stuff for this identifies how this man views himself and how he respects his ancestors. Obviously, we are not to worship our ancestors, but we too must not try to remove our heritage. Let us build on and improve the gifts God has given us.
Deuteronomy 32:46-47 "Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe-all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life.”
What bends our view of God’s mirror? Sin. A lack of faith. It is like there are two mirrors. Yours and God’s. When we are baptized, if we are not careful, we will try to retain our old mirror that should have been destroyed by faith in God’s power to change us. Instead, we drag out the old mirror, thinking we are looking at God’s mirror. Why is it so difficult to change? Because we want our comfort zone. We have adopted this image of feeling worthless and have invested many years in tearing ourselves down. Throughout the years we have compared ourselves to others and been found wanting. We have set unrealistic goals instead of working toward a useful destination. We continue to moan and excuse ourselves over a past that cannot be changed.
How do we change our attitude toward our lives? We must do just as the alcoholic must do–one day at a time, facing our addiction, learning truth about ourselves, our Lord and our God. Let us admit our failure to trust God, asking Him for forgiveness, never doubting. When we find ourselves whining in self-pity, we must stop, and verbally admit what we have just done. We can learn to be thankful, voicing our thanksgiving not only in prayer, but in our words and actions. Let us reach out to serve God and one another, even our enemies. By
DOING good works, we CHANGE our negative attitude to one of positive joy.
1John 5:3-5 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
My sister, Glenda Schales, has written a song taken from Isaiah 60 that you have probably sung yourself. I pray, may you “arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you...Lift up your eyes round about and see...and be radiant and your heart will thrill and rejoice...because He has glorified you...and you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel...You will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory.”
Joanne Beckley
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