Before I learned my identity in Christ and how to live victorious in Him, I was prone to morbid introspection.
What is that, you ask?
It is when we over analyze our thoughts and actions and then beat ourselves up because of it.
It is putting our soul on a plate and dissecting it.
Paul did not give much time and attention to introspection.
He said in 1 Corinthians 4:3: “I do not even examine myself,” though he sought to live with a good conscience before God.
As far as Paul knew, he was serving God faithfully.
He goes on in vs. 4 to say, “I am conscious of nothing against myself.”
He chose to focus on Christ and His life in Him, as he made clear in Colossians 3:1-4:
“Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, focus on what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things in heaven, not the things on earth. For our old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, you will share in His glory.”
If we do this, it will take our eyes off ourselves, in an unhealthy way (morbid introspection) and will put them on Christ, who is our true spiritual healer.
As believers, when we are looking within, we are pre-occupied more with counting on ourselves than counting on the work of Christ in us.
It is all about His work, His Power, His Wisdom, His Grace, and His Life, not about us! Stephen Olford wrote about a time when he “was haunted by the memory of past defeats.”
He said, “instead of turning to the Lord for deliverance, I tried to conquer the problem by self-effort. The result was disastrous!”
In desperation, he went to hear a missionary speaker who said, “Do you know that such introspection is a violation of the principle of grace? God has condemned, crucified, and buried your ‘old self.’ What right have you to visit the cemetery of your moral past and dig up the bones?”
Olford concluded, “the grace of God set me free!”
When we see ourselves as He sees us, we will cured of morbid introspection.
Praise God, I have been set free!
I hope you have also!
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries
How did you know I was needing this today, of all days ?!?!
Praise the Lord, He knew! I was going to do a different blog but I didn’t have the time to develop that blog. I choose this one because I started it more then a month ago and had the time to finish it on Monday.
That is some of the best advice I have heared. I want to in courage you to write more , I know Iam a friend of yours but that needs to shared with more people. Iam going to share it this week with my friend in Arizona and my son . Sue and I love you and Linda. Can’t wait for the marriage retreat.
Thanks Larry, keep sharing them! Have a great time in Arizona, my son and his wife are vacationing in Arizona this week as well.
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