Self Improvement
Self Improvement.
How much money and time is spent on such an endeavor? From physical, to emotional, to mental and spiritual, we can find books, videos, classes, private sessions and exotic getaways to make a better you.
We invest in it because we realize that our current condition (whether it is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual) could be better. For some, it's just a tune up and tweak. For others who are near hopeless, it's a last resort to saving themselves. Whatever the level of improvement, the key word in this process is 'self'. Self trying to change self.
The trouble with self changing self, though, is that most of the time self doesn't know what self really needs. Self looks at self in the mirror, makes an assessment, and gets busy changing itself based on its perception of itself. As most of us know, though, a mirror's reflection gives us the opposite of what we put before it. If I look in the mirror and raise my right hand, the reflection raises its left. And, if I tilt my head to the left, the reflection tilts its head to the right. We do not see ourselves rightly. How hard, then, is it for us to properly change ourselves?
For example, I've put myself on diets to get healthy. I self-assessed what I should do for myself, and based on my own knowledge and research, I loaded up on whole wheat as part of my self improvement diet -- only later to find out that I'm gluten intolerant! I thought I was helping myself. It appeared I was helping myself. But, the irony of it all was that I was hurting myself.
The truth is, we can't do it ourselves. Just as a broken car can't fix itself, neither can we. We need the Mechanic of our hearts to step in. Only He sees us clearly and has the Wisdom to know the steps of how to change us and help us physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, financially, relationally, and in every other way. And, most importantly, only He has the power to do it.
How much money and time is spent on such an endeavor? From physical, to emotional, to mental and spiritual, we can find books, videos, classes, private sessions and exotic getaways to make a better you.
We invest in it because we realize that our current condition (whether it is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual) could be better. For some, it's just a tune up and tweak. For others who are near hopeless, it's a last resort to saving themselves. Whatever the level of improvement, the key word in this process is 'self'. Self trying to change self.
The trouble with self changing self, though, is that most of the time self doesn't know what self really needs. Self looks at self in the mirror, makes an assessment, and gets busy changing itself based on its perception of itself. As most of us know, though, a mirror's reflection gives us the opposite of what we put before it. If I look in the mirror and raise my right hand, the reflection raises its left. And, if I tilt my head to the left, the reflection tilts its head to the right. We do not see ourselves rightly. How hard, then, is it for us to properly change ourselves?
For example, I've put myself on diets to get healthy. I self-assessed what I should do for myself, and based on my own knowledge and research, I loaded up on whole wheat as part of my self improvement diet -- only later to find out that I'm gluten intolerant! I thought I was helping myself. It appeared I was helping myself. But, the irony of it all was that I was hurting myself.
The truth is, we can't do it ourselves. Just as a broken car can't fix itself, neither can we. We need the Mechanic of our hearts to step in. Only He sees us clearly and has the Wisdom to know the steps of how to change us and help us physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, financially, relationally, and in every other way. And, most importantly, only He has the power to do it.
Comments