Self-Awareness: Growth the Healthy Way
How many times have we experienced cyclical patterns unsure of how we continue to repeat the same mistakes? Wondering how do we continuous allow ourselves to be placed in the same situation time after time with little to no growth, not learning lessons to ensure we don’t continue to take the same exam. There’s nothing like studying for weeks, staying up the night before an exam, cramming and still failing the exam! This is the most heartbreaking moment. You feel as if you’ve wasted time, you feel inadequate, disappointed, and just upset. Upset at yourself, upset at the test administrator, because surely, in our mind, they are planning our downfall. Never considering that we are the creator of our own sabotage.
It seems so easy for us to clearly identify the issues, hindrances, roadblocks in the lives of others; but when it comes to ourselves, we draw a blank. Well, I’m doing this, and I’m doing that, never considering the thing that we aren’t doing that has us on a merry-go-round; spinning fast, but going nowhere. Self-awareness is not an easy concept to grasp but with persistence can be conquered and yield lasting results.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness requires honesty with ourselves. It’s easy to fool others, it easy to hide behind a mask with others. It’s harder to lie to yourself. To stand in the mirror and be honest with the reflection, its not the easiest of tasks but it is necessary. We are often faced with denial concerning matters of our own reality. It’s a difficult task to face when you admit your own shortcomings, your own hang-ups and the role they play in your current or past situations. This proves difficult because we are prideful. Even the most humble person can have a prideful moment. We have to be able to identify the character traits that keeps us cyclical and be willing to readjust so that we develop healthy growth patterns that yield results.
Wisdom and Intelligence
In Bible study Wednesday, the teaching between wisdom and intellect reminded me that the two words are not synonymous. When you hear both words, the first thing that comes to mind is smarts. However, the two words serve two separate meanings. Intellect is the knowledge of information. While, wisdom is the understanding and application of this information. We can have knowledge of something, while not actually acting on that knowledge.
This is where a lot of us struggle. I know what’s right but I struggle to do it. Romans 7:18-20 We teeter on the cusp of grace, expecting God to show up even when we know better and disappointed when things don’t happen as planned. Expecting that if I try this one more time, God will somehow change His mind regarding a particular situation. And when He doesn’t, we’re left in a cyclical whirlwind of our poor decisions. Applying wisdom would simply eliminate a lot of chaos in our lives. Granted we still have to endure things for growth but a lot of things we find ourselves in is due to our lack of wisdom.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given. James 1:5
Self-Evaluation
What am I doing? What can I do more of, less of? We are slow to change our behavior and quick to blame others. Identifying reoccurring patterns will help to pinpoint our shortcomings and then how to make more sound decisions. Self-awareness is the predecessor to self-evaluation. Evaluation requires awareness. How can we evaluate our actions if we aren’t aware of them. Awareness of why we do what we do will help us assess our results, and our outcomes so that we can see the manifestations of God in our lives!
I know it’s hard! But in order to see healthy, consistent, progression, self evaluation is necessary. Before reading further, take a few moments to write down things or habits that you have identified that keeps you repeating cycles. Those things that has hindered you from taking stock of your live and choices and experiencing health growth.
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Don’t be ok, Be free!
I can NOT count the times I’ve said this phrase in my life; I’ll be ok or another common variation, it’ll be ok. God hasn’t called us to mediocrity, to a place of just ok, He has made us free!!! I woke up Friday morning and this was literally the first thought I had. I knew it wasn’t me, cuz chiileee I’m not a morning person, and thus I was still mentally asleep! But my spirit was ready to receive a Word!
We become prisoners of our own lives when we lack accountability, self-awareness, and self-evaluation. We are locked in the prison of our emotions and actions when refuse to be set free from our past mistakes and repeated patterns. I’m reminded of double jeopardy. I’m sure we’ve seen the movie Double Jeopardy where Ashley Judd depicts Libby Parsons, a woman framed for her husband’s death. After finding the joker, she kills him for real. Because of double jeopardy, she couldn’t be charged with his murder again. Yeah, this does not apply to us. As believers, we will continue to see the same test until we pass it. We are not Libby!
What I’m simply saying is that God desires for us to be made free, not just ok. He has so much to reveal to us as we continue to become that taking the same test prevents us from walking fully into all He has for us. Ok implies that we don’t believe God to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think.
Walking in freedom, allows space for God to reveal parts of us that need to be worked on. The parts of us that could use more pruning so that we can yield a fruitful harvest.
Self-awareness births self evaluation. Self-evaluation births wisdom. Wisdom births freedom! Self awareness is the beginning of healthy growth that we can witness in our lives.