Stepping Stones: Look Up to Look Inside

Transformational Thought

As Christians, one of our goals must be to be fully utilized by God. To be fully utilized, we must be able to really understand who we are and why we do things we do every day. This understanding will equip us to avoid messing up God’s plans to use us in powerful ways that really fulfill our needs, wiring, and desires. You see, He is always trying to use us, setting up situations and people in our life for great things to happen, but instead of following that path, we choose a different course.

To really do some thorough and deep self-assessment, we have to allow God to show us the deep, hidden and faulty areas of our own character. Looking inward really requires lots courage. We are so quick to diagnose and judge others, what if we take that energy and time to examine ourselves.

It’s astounding how ignorant we are about who we truly are. We rarely recognize the distortions, laziness, envy, many weaknesses, and pride held within us. We must dump the idea that we understand ourselves just because we live our life…the only one who truly understands and knows us is God. He wants to show us who we are, equip, and ultimately transform us to become Christ-like by developing the Mind of Christ.

To look inwardly we need alone time with God. Then only through God’s lenses and using the perfect mirror that is The Holy Bible, can we see our misguided desires and affections. These lead to all those false idols and substitute fixes that keep us from Him. This is how we change our foundation from sand to solid rock, allowing us to become a strong, solid Lighthouse shining God’s glory.

Take some time to ask yourself, “what outranked God?…what was more important to me than pleasing God? Another way to think about it, “What fleshly desire or fear was more weighty in my decisions today than keeping the Holy Spirit on the throne of my life?”

Today, examine an area of temptation or a wrong decision you made recently. Really doing some heart diagnostics can be painful, but courageously being honest with yourself will open the door to reaping the fruit of the spirit and growing the mind of Christ. As usual, it really is your decision about how honest you will be and how much you will use God in the examination process. So choose well. WITHIN REACH was designed for this very process.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I am so thankful that You are God with us – constantly and eternally. This fact alone is sufficient to fill my days and nights with joy…thank You, my Lord. Sadly though, my mind slips out of focus and I begin looking outwardly at the broken world around me. I know by Your Word that I learn and grow in You best when I am alone with You. I desire this time alone with You, Lord; please help me push away all the distractions that keep me from being alone with You. When we are alone, I ask that You give me the courage to look deeply inside myself; let me be honest with myself so that I may be honest and open with You. Give me your lenses to see my core accurately. I pray to You in the name of the one who gives me courage; Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
…when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Mark 4:34

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
Matthew 1:22-23