The Gift of Being Yourself

1. Discovering Your True Self is Inseparable from Knowing God

There is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace, and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find Him I will find myself and if I find my true self I will find Him.

The intertwined nature of self-discovery and God-discovery forms the foundation of Christian spirituality. This journey involves recognizing Christ as the deepest truth of our being and actualizing the Christ within us. It's not about constructing a self through self-improvement, but rather uncovering the self that God created us to be.

The process requires:

• Embracing the paradox of losing oneself to find oneself
• Understanding that our true identity resides in our relationship with God
• Recognizing that genuine self-knowledge leads to a deeper knowing of God, and vice versa

As we journey deeper into knowing God, we simultaneously uncover layers of our true self, hidden in Christ. This reciprocal process of discovery forms the core of spiritual transformation.

2. Transformational Knowing Requires Personal Experience

Truly transformational knowledge is always personal, never merely objective. It involves knowing of, not merely knowing about.

Moving beyond intellectual understanding is crucial for genuine spiritual growth. Transformational knowing is rooted in personal experience and relationship, not just accumulating facts or theological concepts.

Key aspects of transformational knowing include:

• Engaging with God through contemplative practices like Gospel meditation
• Recognizing God's presence in daily life experiences
• Cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus through imaginative prayer

This experiential knowing allows us to move from merely believing in God to truly knowing God. It transforms our understanding of both God and ourselves, leading to profound changes in our identity and way of being in the world.

3. Embracing Your Identity as Deeply Loved by God

Created from love, of love and for love, our existence makes no sense apart from Divine love.

Grounding our identity in God's love is fundamental to Christian spirituality. This involves shifting from a performance-based or achievement-oriented identity to one rooted in being unconditionally loved by God.

Steps to embrace this identity:

• Regularly reflect on God's unconditional love for you
• Practice seeing yourself through God's loving eyes
• Challenge negative self-perceptions that contradict God's love

As we internalize this identity, it transforms how we relate to God, ourselves, and others. It provides a secure foundation from which we can explore our true self and live out our unique calling.

4. Accepting All Parts of Yourself, Including Your Sinfulness

If God loves and accepts you as a sinner, how can you do less?

Genuine self-acceptance is a crucial step in spiritual transformation. This involves embracing all aspects of ourselves, including those we find undesirable or sinful.

Key points to consider:

• Self-acceptance precedes genuine self-surrender and transformation
• Acknowledging our sinfulness allows us to experience God's grace more fully
• Tools like the Enneagram can help identify core sin tendencies and patterns

By accepting ourselves as we are, we open the door to God's transforming work in our lives. This acceptance doesn't mean complacency but rather creates the conditions for authentic change.

5. Unmasking the False Self and Its Attachments

We believe we know how to take care of our needs better than God.

Recognizing and releasing the false self is a critical part of the spiritual journey. The false self is built on illusions and attachments that we believe will bring us happiness and fulfillment.

Characteristics of the false self:

• Based on what we have, what we can do, and what others think of us
• Maintained through effort and control
• Rooted in fear and a lack of trust in God

Unmasking the false self involves:

• Identifying our core attachments and compulsions
• Recognizing patterns of defensiveness and reactivity
• Surrendering our illusions of control to God

As we let go of the false self, we create space for our true self in Christ to emerge and flourish.

6. Finding Your Unique Vocation in Christ

Our vocation is always a response to a Divine call to take our place in the kingdom of God.

Discovering and living out our unique calling is an essential aspect of becoming our true self in Christ. This vocation goes beyond career or occupation to encompass our unique way of being and serving in the world.

Elements of vocation include:

• Aligning with our God-given gifts, passions, and temperament
• Responding to the needs of the world
• Finding the intersection of our "deep gladness" and the world's "deep hunger"

Discerning our vocation involves prayerful reflection, community input, and a willingness to surrender our own plans to God's larger purposes. As we live out our calling, we become more fully the unique individuals God created us to be.

7. Cultivating Presence for Deeper Self-Knowledge and God-Knowledge

Presence to anything or anyone starts with presence to your self. But the presence you experience will always involve a participation in the Presence that is the ground in which you exist and which makes any small gift of presence that you receive possible.

Practicing mindful presence is a powerful tool for deepening our knowledge of both self and God. This involves cultivating awareness of the present moment and our inner experiences.

Ways to cultivate presence:

• Regular meditation or contemplative prayer practices
• Mindful awareness of daily experiences and emotions
• Prayerful reflection on the events of each day

As we become more present to ourselves, we simultaneously become more aware of God's presence within and around us. This deepens our capacity for transformational knowing and living.

8. The Ongoing Journey of Identity Transformation in Christ

The self that begins the spiritual journey is not the same as the one that ends it.

Embracing the continuous nature of transformation is key to Christian spirituality. Our identity is not static but constantly evolving as we grow in our relationship with God.

Aspects of ongoing transformation:

• Regularly reassessing our identity and calling
• Remaining open to new revelations about ourselves and God
• Continuing to surrender false ways of being

This journey involves a gradual shift from a self-created identity to one that is received as a gift from God. As we continue to grow, our true self in Christ becomes increasingly manifest in our lives, bringing greater authenticity and fulfillment.

Last updated: October 24, 2024