Self-awareness seems to be a buzzword in ministry and the marketplace as people seek to understand their giftedness, passion, and abilities. Many tools for discovering who you are exist either online or through personal life coaches you can hire. I really never gave much thought of how this topic was covered in the Bible until a few years ago when I began teaching church planters this concept. This week I heard Aaron Coe, VP of Mobilization at the North American Mission Board share a few minutes on John 13:1-3 with the focus on verse 3. That verse reads, “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God and went to God.”
Aaron made the point that in the last part of that verse Jesus was saying, “I know where I came from and I know where I am going.” That the focus here is that Jesus was very self-aware of who he was.
This depends on who you talk to, which website you peruse, or which book you might be reading. I will try to make it simple by saying my limited definition is you know who you are, what you are capable of, where you are from, you know where you are going, and you know your strengths and your weaknesses.
I am not saying that the truth is something that is inherently bad. I believe that we just need to be truthful about ourselves to others and to God. When we are honest about self to others, it makes it much easier to be truthful about ourselves to others. What is it about yourself that you do not want anyone else to know?
I once took the Meyers-Briggs Personality test and the results were I am an ENFJ. If you are into these types of tests you have a boring life. That test basically told me that I am Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling and Judging (go to truity.com for more on this). Basically I am an idealistic organizer, driven to implement my vision of what is best for humanity. I will say that this test did help me realize who I was and help me discover the why of my actions.
Having a good understanding of who you are can provide great benefits to yourself and to those that you interact with. God wired each one of us differently and that is something that good, as a matter of fact it is very good. Everything about you is unique; your story, your experience, your personality, your passions, and your personality. It takes work to figure all how all of those pieces make up the individual called you.
People need to know who you are and why you are who you are. Be honest about your struggles and and your successes – it will make you a better person.
Yes it takes time and yes it is work, but you will be leaving behind a written record of you for your family or others. Don’t let the journal of your life be on a headstone that reads born on such and such date and died such and such date.
Your life is meant to be lived to the fullest (see John 10:10). God did not create us to live a boring life and a meaningless existence. When you make the effort to live your life to the fullest, you will discover more and more about yourself – good and bad.
Don’t try to be someone you are not or do things you are not equipped for. It will frustrate you and others to no end.