Growing in Self-Awareness
"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it .. they will be blessed in what they do." [James 1:23-25]
This past Sunday I introduced a sermon series on the qualities or virtues of an effective mentor or discipler, and we began by looking at self-awareness. Being in touch with significant experiences that have helped to shape us (particularly in our earlier years), but then also becoming more aware of how God is remaking us and learning to address the hindrances to that process.
The five areas we looked at were;
Childhood Influences, particularly as experienced through your parents
Relational Needs, what are your top 3 and what do they look like/sound like
Emotional Cup, what emotions tend to 'drive' you at times and where might they be rooted
Your Response to New (God's) Truth and Light, where do you struggle to receive and walk in God's revealed truth
Comfort and Joy in the Holy Spirit, how easily (or not) do you receive that for yourself and also enter into other people's to be able to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn" (Rom 12:15)
As we journey through these qualities and particularly the season of Lent, I want to ask you to intentionally reach out to connect with another 1 or 2 people to be able to process this and to be of support to others in the same work. We cannot do this on our own, we were not meant to which is why God in his wisdom puts us in families and faith communities. At the heart of this though is friendship, which Jesus himself made a priority in his life and ministry (see John 15:15).
