Facing Yourself

 

    Facing yourself is taking in account who you are and judging your life Biblically.  If you were standing before Jesus today how you explain some aspects of your life. Instead of facing Jesus you are looking at yourself like in a mirror to explain to yourself honestly on your thought process, decisions, and actions.  You are reflecting on your life to see if you are maturing, being stagnant, or declining in your faith.  It is not necessary good or bad, but it does allow yourself to really take in account who you are.

    When you face yourself it is easier to live a life of integrity.  You are able to acknowledge success, hills you overcome, and celebrate the wins of other people.  Victory or success makes you feel good, but it is import to remember that the glory of it belongs to God.  Part of being humble is to makes sure you don't make yourself your own god.  You see your value that comes from God, not yourself.  Everything good about you was designed by Him.  You just get to reap the benefits.

    Do not criticize yourself too harshly.  Learn from mistakes, failures, and sinful nature.  Do not criticize others too harshly either.  You don't know what their struggles are.  If they are not a Christian, then you can't expect them to act like a Christian.  If they are, then correct, guide, or disciple them if they allow you to.  If they refuse to listen to wise counsel, then leave them to be judged by God.  Exercise church discipline, but remember that God is the judge.

    When your feelings are hurt or anger flares, take a moment to question why.  Are you allowing pride to reign or get a foothold in your life?  Or are you observing sin that is being ignored?  Both will cause passionate feelings.  It is your job to identify them and control them, so you can allow God to work through you in that place.  When you allow your feelings to have control then your life turns to chaos.  It doesn't matter if people see your value as long as you know that God values you.  Do not allow other people to control your feelings or actions.

    When you are proud, self-centered, or controlling you become irritable, critical, and hold a sense of entitlement.  This can silence your witness for God quickly.  It is part of what give the church a bad name.  We all struggle with this in some aspect, but the people that do not face themselves allow the negative to influence them more than God.  Do not allow anger, resentment, or sin to control who you are.  

    Take all the negativity in your life to God.  Pray over it and remove it from the focus of your mind.  I am not saying it is easy because it isn't easy.  You have to learn self-discipline and mental control.  As you learn these you are actively learning how to control your feelings and sometimes hormonal reactions.  The more you lean on God in the problem areas the more you start walking like Jesus in life.  You learn to turn criticism into encouragement and blessings in people's lives.  You change from a self-centered fool into a wise person used by God.

Judges 7:23-8:1, 12:1-4, Psalm 44:17-22, 139:23-24, Proverbs 15:1-5, Lamentations 3:40-45, Matthew 7:1-6, Romans 12:9-13, 2 Corinthians 13:5-6, Galatians 6:4-5, & Philippians 2:3-4