Week 13 Self-Awareness

Right out of the gate, let’s examine what self-awareness is. Self-awareness means having a conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. Self-awareness allows us to have a better understanding of ourselves as unique and separate individuals. Those are good definitions and clarifications, but how do you and I apply this in living a life of freedom with God?  It’s not easy.  Every man, even if he has been numbed so terribly deeply to them, must know his emotions to win a fight against himself. 

Is that a biblical idea?  Let’s take a look:

• 1 Timothy 4:16 – Keep a close watch on yourself

• 2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves

• Ephesians 4:22-24 – To put off your old self

• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – Being content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, and persecutions

• Matthew 6:25 – Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life

• Matthew 11:28 – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden

There is more in the Bible about shepherding your soul than people give credit. Much of the war we wage is on the battleground of our mind and emotions.   The very essence of being self-aware is knowing who you are to your core. The Good and the in-progress.  For us to know who we truly are, we need a close relationship with the one that created us.   When we have a deep level of intimacy with God, He begins to give us revelation of who we are.  He begins to work in the deep wounds that cause us to act out of brokenness and begins to form our motives and desires after His.

Self-Awareness is being able to see when we are being acted upon by our past and current state of life.  After which, we can ask God to come into the broken places and reveal any wounds that are the source of our hurt. Then, finally believing that He will not only be faithful in our woundedness, but that He will heal and restore us to wholeness. This is the process that leads to transformation in our lives.

God desires nothing more than to restore our hearts to the original glory that was bestowed upon man during creation. Once Adam fell, we lost the perfect glory of God in our lives. However, when Jesus bore the sin of humanity, He bought our way back to the original purpose we were created for.  He felt every brokenhearted pain that we feel.  Not the just the cliché “feelings”, but the gut wrenched soul tearing agony that we experience in this life.  He did that, so we don’t have to be a slave to our emotions.

Jesus said in Luke 4:18,

”The Spirit of the LORD is upon me; he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to announce that captives shall be released and the blind shall see, that the downtrodden shall be freed from their oppressors, and that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to him.”

Jesus is in the restoration business.  The sacrifice He made created a path for us to live a life beyond our shortcomings. He is NOT going to do that to you automatically, though.  He chooses to partner with us in that process.  God chooses to work out our restoration, with us, so that we can get to know Him and trust Him intimately.   We need to constantly be aware of what is impacting our souls, so that we can allow Him space to act in power in those areas of our hearts and souls. 

He desires to heal the brokenhearted. He desires to set the captives free. We were all made captives by our addictions.  Nothing else in this world had ever held me the way sexual addiction had.  I use “had” in the past tense, because my sexual addiction “had” rule over my life.  No longer does my sex drive - drive me. I am free because the work of Jesus.  I did not do this work in myself, but in partnership with Jesus.  Self-awareness is an important key to that relationship. We must be able to see what’s hitting us with a sober mind.  We must give God permission to our soul.  We do that by admitting we have emotions, and letting God walk us though them often. God’s desire is to restore His glory in our hearts for the whole world to see.

Take Action

• How often do you take stock of your emotions with God?

• Do you allow pain to rule your life, or do you allow your pain to draw you closer to God?

• Do you see failure as final, or do you see failure as a learning opportunity?

• Are you aware of your weaknesses as well as your strengths?

• Do you allow stress and anxiety to rule?

• Are you able to identify your triggers?

• Do you see the battle coming before it’s at hand?

• Do you ask the Holy Spirit for discernment?

• How deep is your relationship with your Creator, Savior, Father?

Daily Scripture for Week 13

DAY 2 | SCRIPTURE  

1 Timothy 4:16 TLB

Keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others.

Process & Reflect:

Guarding your mind and what is pouring into your soul is a 24 -7 goal. There are no “off-days”. The reason is because your freedom and the easiness of your walk with God depends on it. You also never know who God has intended to use you to reach. If you’re head down in your fear, anger, or lust you will miss the amazing opportunity to bring life to someone else!

DAY 3 | SCRIPTURE

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Process & Reflect:

We test ourselves against perfection, not to know we aren’t perfect, but to provide a guide as to what we can still accomplish through God. The kingdom of God is always advancing. We need to take stock of what we are allowing god to do in us so we don’t miss what He is doing in our lives. Then of course knowing your position in eternity.

DAY 4 | SCRIPTURE

1 Peter 5:6-8 NKJV

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Process & Reflect:

You have an adversary. Don’t be fooled. His assault on your soul is not usually an elephant or a rhino. He will use your life to lull you into separation so that you can be overcome in your ignorance. Keep a pulse on your relationship with God. Knowing your spiritual state is not for judging yourself, but to allow you to allow God to do His work in the areas you are in need.

DAY 5 | SCRIPTURE

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Process & Reflect:

Praise God that when you see yourself fading back into old behaviors you don;t have to stay there. Jesus redeemed you so that when you see old patterns, you can shout “I am NOT that person anymore!” When you see your past on the horizon, don’t be afraid… be honest. God will meet you there with a new way.

DAY 6 | SCRIPTURE 

Micah 6:8 ESV

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Process & Reflect:

Compare yourself against what you know is right. You’ll always see room for improvement. Again, that exercise isn’t to give you another reason to beat yourself up. It is to show you where God is wanting to help you succeed!