All tagged self-awareness
As the self-appointed communication evangelist, my focus is usually on how we talk to each other, especially during conflict. Negative self-talk, is a type of conflict. Never in a million years would we talk to other people like we talk to ourselves. Yet we allow these thoughts to bully us every day.
Living from the false self distances us from God. By building a persona based on pride or external validation, we alienate ourselves from the divine connection. The false self obstructs our spiritual growth, resulting in a divided life in which we are separated from both our true self and God.
Focusing on our future selves is certainly a biblical concept. For instance, Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” This passage encourages believers to think beyond immediate concerns and focus instead on eternal values and future promises.
Your body, mind, and soul respond in gratitude when you care for them. The people in your world appreciate being around you when you are fully who you were created to be instead of a dried-up, used-up, depleted version of yourself.
Ministers often falsely believe that it depends on our skills, our energy, and our sacrifice to bring about God’s agenda in the world. It is time to name this narrative for what it is: a lie!
If there were one lesson most churches ought to learn right now, it would be this: we should become humbler so that God might seem bigger.
As we endeavor to correct unconscious bias and ultimately lean into what it means to be more Christlike, I invite you both personally and in your faith communities to consider the following three statements.
I don’t know how to let go. Maybe you have that problem too. I find myself subconsciously and constantly attempting to be better and to do more.
The third (and most annoying) way to end narcissistic shepherding is through the willingness to not shepherd. At least not that sheep at that time.
Would you like an apple? They’re a prized variety with supernatural vitamins. Come on; eat one! It’ll open your eyes to good and evil.
You can lead from your strengths … but what happens when your strength wears out? It’s a flameout.
Genuine peace sometimes can only be brought about by confronting the overwhelming things that are preventing it. And sometimes the path to peace feels a lot like a battle.
