Pastor David Cameron has written this week’s letter. We hope you are blessed by his thoughts this week.
“O would some power the gift give us
to see ourselves as others see us!” – Robert Burns
There is an art to introspection, at least in doing it well. If taken to extremes, it can lead to self-absorption and self-justification. A lack of introspection leads to impulsive behavior and recklessness.
Lent is intended as a time for introspection; A time to examine our outer actions and inner motivations against the example Jesus set and calls us to follow.
I’ve been thinking about Pastor Bob’s message Sunday and how he drew attention to God seeing us, exactly as we are, and loving us so much that God sent Jesus to heal, forgive, and make us new.
I confess, I’m not great at introspection. In looking inward, I tend to either be my own worst critic or to gloss over and justify aspects that deserve deeper consideration and correction.
The quote above from Robert Burns comes to mind when I think about introspection. It would be informative to stand outside ourselves and see how we look from another person’s perspective.
God calls us to something even MORE transformative: To see ourselves as God sees us. No skipping over the sketchy parts we’d rather not notice. No tenuous justifications in the face of truth. No beating ourselves up and re-hashing past actions we have repented of and been forgiven.
Introspection through the eyes of the Holy Spirit is vital if we want to become the people God calls us to be. That view is enough to humble the proudest and raise the heart and head of the most downcast.
My prayer for each of us is this: May our God who sees us give us the gift to see ourselves through God’s eyes and be reshaped by that vision to be all that we can become in Christ.
Peace in Christ and blessings,
Pastor David | David@hrbcrichmond.org | 804.272.2072
How right you are! But I confess, I’ve been diligent to read Michael Hatfield’s prayer each day even though he gave his suggestion to pray our own prayer. This morning, I made his prayer “my” prayer by changing it’s corporate “confession” by saying “us” , I scratched through his “us” and wrote “my” each on the page!