Biblical perspective on Understanding Yourself
Not sufficient?
We have some important questions to ask here. Is the Bible not sufficient? Is the power of the Gospel not enough? Are we not in danger of trying to add to the Bible by encouraging an understanding of why we think and feel as we do? If you have those concerns, then it will be because you rightly care about upholding the sufficiency of Christ and his ability to save us through what he did for us in his death and resurrection. We believe that it is only through God’s saving grace, plus nothing, that we are saved.
Applying principles
We have some important questions to ask here. Is the Bible not sufficient? Is the power of the Gospel not enough? Are we not in danger of trying to add to the Bible by encouraging an understanding of why we think and feel as we do? If you have those concerns, then it will be because you rightly care about upholding the sufficiency of Christ and his ability to save us through what he did for us in his death and resurrection. We believe that it is only through God’s saving grace, plus nothing, that we are saved.
Applying principles
So, back to the question, how does ‘understanding yourself’ fit in with the teaching of the Bible?’ We know that in every profession in life there are principles to be learnt. For example, the plumber learns about water flow, joints and has a reasonable grasp of maths and he can apply those principles to whatever plumbing situation he finds himself in. When you invite a good plumber into your home he will take his time to ensure he understands the job you are offering him. He will need to get his head round the measurements and the materials and have a clear picture of what you have in mind as a finished product. All those principles he learnt in college count for nothing if he doesn’t understand how to apply them. We can know a lot of truth – it is what we do with it that matters.
The reality is that we apply Christian truths to our lives to the point that we know ourselves. It follows then that the more we understand ourselves the more those truths will be applied. For example, you might not think that you switch off what you don’t want to look at but if, through knowing yourself, you know that this is one of your traits, then you are much more likely to accept it and do something about it. If you know that you have two introvert temperaments, at least you have an explanation as to why you might find socialising difficult and, rather than despairing, you can take steps to use those temperaments well as you interact with people.
Paul's problem
The reality is that we apply Christian truths to our lives to the point that we know ourselves. It follows then that the more we understand ourselves the more those truths will be applied. For example, you might not think that you switch off what you don’t want to look at but if, through knowing yourself, you know that this is one of your traits, then you are much more likely to accept it and do something about it. If you know that you have two introvert temperaments, at least you have an explanation as to why you might find socialising difficult and, rather than despairing, you can take steps to use those temperaments well as you interact with people.
Paul's problem
There was something that Paul did not understand about himself and it gave him a problem: ‘I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do’ (Romans 7:15). Paul knows what is right but doesn’t have the strength to do it by himself.
For many Christians, even after Jesus has entered our lives, there is a part of us that still doesn’t seem to be able to do what is right. And it is made all the worse because, now we are Christians, we know how to live. We are told the power to change is available – so why don’t we change? We can so quickly become schizophrenic Christians – we know how to say all the right things, we genuinely believe them – but they don’t bite deeply enough into our hearts to bring about the profound change in attitudes and behaviour that we know we need. We end up being one thing when we are with other Christians on a Sunday but in our relationships we can struggle to live out what we believe. This can result in guilt and frustration and even eventual disillusionment.
Paul knew the answer: ‘Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ (Romans 7:24). We know the answer. The problem is applying it. How can we let Jesus be Lord of our lives if we have buried possibly 50% of who we are because we don’t understand what we are feeling and if we did we wouldn’t feel safe to express it anyway? How many of God’s people know in their heads that they are loved – but don’t feel it in their hearts?
Understanding Shalom
For many Christians, even after Jesus has entered our lives, there is a part of us that still doesn’t seem to be able to do what is right. And it is made all the worse because, now we are Christians, we know how to live. We are told the power to change is available – so why don’t we change? We can so quickly become schizophrenic Christians – we know how to say all the right things, we genuinely believe them – but they don’t bite deeply enough into our hearts to bring about the profound change in attitudes and behaviour that we know we need. We end up being one thing when we are with other Christians on a Sunday but in our relationships we can struggle to live out what we believe. This can result in guilt and frustration and even eventual disillusionment.
Paul knew the answer: ‘Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ (Romans 7:24). We know the answer. The problem is applying it. How can we let Jesus be Lord of our lives if we have buried possibly 50% of who we are because we don’t understand what we are feeling and if we did we wouldn’t feel safe to express it anyway? How many of God’s people know in their heads that they are loved – but don’t feel it in their hearts?
Understanding Shalom
This lovely word is still used by Jews as a greeting. It is derived from a three letter root sh-l-m which means ‘to make complete or whole.’ It means peace, wholeness, a sense of well-being; in fact, it means salvation in the fullest possible sense of the word. When the Bible writers talk about the kingdom of heaven they mean God’s Spirit having free reign in every part of who we are – including all that goes on deep inside us. So the Bible shows us how we can be connected up within and at peace with ourselves. It recognises that if we are going to be peacemakers then we will have to be at peace within ourselves. If we are going to be at peace with ourselves we will need to understand what is going on inside us. That is why seeking to understand ourselves is entirely consistent with all that the Bible teaches.
The gift of choice
The death of Jesus and the gift of God’s Spirit set us free to make good choices. Paul writes that we are not to ‘live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit’ (Romans 8:4). He makes it clear that we have a choice (Romans 8). We can choose to either follow our sinful nature or God’s Spirit. Each of the ingredients, or attributes, that make up our temperaments can come out as strengths or weaknesses, depending on whether we follow what we want or what God wants. For example, if one of your attributes is sensitivity, how are you using it? Do you use it constructively to connect with others or do you turn it negatively against yourself? The more we understand ourselves the more specific we can be in the choices we make.
Where does church fit in?
The gift of choice
The death of Jesus and the gift of God’s Spirit set us free to make good choices. Paul writes that we are not to ‘live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit’ (Romans 8:4). He makes it clear that we have a choice (Romans 8). We can choose to either follow our sinful nature or God’s Spirit. Each of the ingredients, or attributes, that make up our temperaments can come out as strengths or weaknesses, depending on whether we follow what we want or what God wants. For example, if one of your attributes is sensitivity, how are you using it? Do you use it constructively to connect with others or do you turn it negatively against yourself? The more we understand ourselves the more specific we can be in the choices we make.
Where does church fit in?
One of the benefits of growing up in a family should be that we emerge from that family with a good understanding of ourselves and of other family members who might be quite different to us. That understanding will include why we think and feel the way we do and why we respond to certain people in a particular way. Clearly that often doesn’t happen but when we are born anew by God’s Spirit we are placed in his family and this becomes our second chance to have those missing ingredients built into our lives.
As we were growing up we developed perceptions about ourselves and others. Some of those might be good and positive – others might be distorted and damaging. Our view of ourselves needs to be accurate and in line with how God sees us. How can that happen?
As we were growing up we developed perceptions about ourselves and others. Some of those might be good and positive – others might be distorted and damaging. Our view of ourselves needs to be accurate and in line with how God sees us. How can that happen?
Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome and told them to be ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2). This is important because the way we feel about ourselves has a massive impact on every aspect of life and the way we feel about ourselves is determined by our view of ourselves. We subconsciously formed that view in early childhood and then life tends to reinforce that view because we filter our everything that is not consistent with the way we feel about ourselves. So it all starts with thoughts and ends up as feelings. The problem is that if we want to change our thoughts we then have to contend with feelings that have been shaped by the original negative thoughts.
How is our mind renewed? By thinking God’s thoughts, seeing things the way he sees them – and believing those thoughts to the point where they begin to affect the way we feel.
What is the most helpful context in which that can happen? In the family of God. A group of people who recognise the authority of God’s Word, are open to the Spirit of God, and who are in right relationship with each other provide the environment in which God’s truth can replace the distortions that we carry.
We often don’t recognise when our thinking is wrong. We are hardly likely to challenge our thinking if we are not shown that there might be more valid reference points. It may well take the insight of a friend to help us see where our view of our past is distorted, or to challenge us when we are negative about ourselves.
How is our mind renewed? By thinking God’s thoughts, seeing things the way he sees them – and believing those thoughts to the point where they begin to affect the way we feel.
What is the most helpful context in which that can happen? In the family of God. A group of people who recognise the authority of God’s Word, are open to the Spirit of God, and who are in right relationship with each other provide the environment in which God’s truth can replace the distortions that we carry.
We often don’t recognise when our thinking is wrong. We are hardly likely to challenge our thinking if we are not shown that there might be more valid reference points. It may well take the insight of a friend to help us see where our view of our past is distorted, or to challenge us when we are negative about ourselves.
If we are going to break the vicious circle of thoughts and feelings, God’s thoughts need to break into that circle – and God’s thoughts should be found at their clearest amongst God’s people. Just as damage can be done through unhealthy relationships so healing takes place in the context of strong and meaningful relationships.
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It is too easy to use our spirituality as a bolt-hole. When the pressure is on we can escape into unreality – or we can offer the whole of who we are to the Lord, allowing that pressure to stretch us, to understand more about ourselves, to experience God’s love and grace in ever greater measure. Understanding our responses to the events of life enables us to make choices that bring growth. That is how we become fully alive, fully human and filled with the Spirit so that God’s glory shines through the whole of who we are.
Why do we need to understand? The Message puts it well in its paraphrase of Psalm 18:20-24:
‘God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him…. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.’
Why do we need to understand? The Message puts it well in its paraphrase of Psalm 18:20-24:
‘God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him…. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.’
Return to Understanding Yourself
