Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Honest to God

Home
Progressive Christian
6 Ways You Can Be More Honest with Yourself

6 Ways You Can Be More Honest with Yourself

Last updated on: June 15, 2013 at 2:27 pm by Jayson D. Bradley

6 Ways You Can Be More Honest with Yourself 2013-06-15T14:27:54+00:00 Jayson D. Bradley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We all know people who never learn from experience, but let’s be honest, we seldom do either.

We wander through life oblivious to the ways that we contribute to—or are completely responsible for—our suffering. We sit through sermons, read Scripture, and take part in conversations wishing so-and-so were there to be confronted with the truth they need to hear—often missing out on the truth for ourselves.

An important part of being transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2) is learning to see yourself as you really are. But the truth is, the person we’re often working hardest to deceive is ourselves.

Here’s some simple steps to help you partner with the Holy Spirit in conforming you to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29):

1. Think about yourself in third person.

It’s hard to see ourselves from the perspective of others. And our view of ourselves is often awash in a sea of mixed motives, feelings of entitlement, and reactionary responses. It’s helpful to disengage occasionally and look at yourself as he/she instead of as me. You’ll be surprised at what you see.

2. Start seeing the patterns.

When we see our troubles as a series of isolated events instead of a mosaic with its own narrative, we miss the big picture. I used to work with a woman who was 10 minutes late every day. Because she had an excuse for every tardiness, she didn’t recognize that she just didn’t care about being on time.

It’s also difficult when we attribute every trouble to a source beyond our control.

If we actually do a little inventory, we’ll find a lot of reoccurring struggles in our lives. It might be a string of broken relationships, lost jobs, or disappointing church experiences. When we’re completely honest, we can begin to recognize these patterns and see that sometimes the common denominator is us.

3. Stop letting yourself off the hook.

If you follow Christ, you know what’s expected of you. Walking in humility, turning the other cheek, going the second mile, and loving others, although difficult, are not expectations for a select few. But when it’s time to practice them, there are a never-ending litany of reasons why we should be excluded.

Quit entertaining the arguments your ego gives for expecting Christlike behavior from others, but not from yourself.

4. Don’t instantly discount criticism.

Sometimes we’re confronted by people who don’t know the whole story, don’t understand the complexities involved, or are just jerks. It doesn’t matter. Genuine, and important, catalysts for change can come from anywhere.The source doesn’t have to be pure for the assessment to be accurate.

If you receive criticism, even if it comes from someone who has no right to criticize you, hear them out. Give all but the most absurd criticism a little consideration and prayer. If it has any validity, address it. If not, let it go.

5. Ask others for honest input.

I know it’s scary. Find people you trust and ask them what weaknesses they see in you. Choose the timing carefully. Do it at a time you know they are feeling secure with you. They’re going to feel incredibly vulnerable, so make sure that, no matter what they say, you do not make them sorry for being honest with you.

6. Don’t trust your perspective.

You’re not omniscient. At any given time, your understanding of any issue is incredibly limited. Not only do you not know all the facts in a situation, the way you interpret the facts you do have is colored by your own unique set of experiences and prejudices. Size up a situation using your perspective as a guideline, but be wary—you’re seldom completely accurate.

Being honest with yourself isn’t for the weak. There’s a lot of terrible attitudes and behaviors in all of us we choose to ignore. There’s no advantage in despising ourselves (remorse, however, is acceptable). Remember, Christ is always reaching out to you in love. He longs for you to be honest with yourself, but only because the truth will set you free.

Previous Post

April 24, 2013

3 Reasons Christians Should Shop Locally

Next Post

June 19, 2013 2 Things Jesus Never Says to the Suffering

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ask Jayson Blogging Evergreen Giveaways Guest Posts Interviews and Reviews Jesus Matthew Politics Scripture Social Issues Social Media Spiritual Formation The Church Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2023 March 2022 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 August 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 August 2016 July 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 January 2013 December 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus say the sacrament bread symbolizes?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Noah's Ark His Body The Fish that Swallowed Jonah The Ark of the Covenant