“Inside your soul there is a battle between a flourishing self — the person you were created to be — and a languishing self.”- John Ortberg
As John Ortberg concludes Chapter 1 of The Me I Want to Be, he notes it’s humbling you can’t be anything you want. In humility, accept yourself as God’s gift to you. Also, accept the task God sets before you to become that person. Yet, within your soul, your flourishing self and languishing self battle. Thus, John’s book center on this battle as it “moves from deep inside you to a world waiting on God’s redemption.”
Next, Pastor Ortberg describes five steps on this journey, or movement.
1. Spirit. The journey begins here as your spirit becomes empowered by the Holy Spirit. Flourishing- defined as connecting with the Spirit of God- is available 24/7. When your spirit flourishes, you feel most fully alive, filled with purpose for living, and drawn to put on virtue and cast off sin.
2. Mind. Joy and peace mark the mental life of your flourishing self. In addition, you demonstrate curiosity and a love of learning. Consequently, when negative emotions rise, you take them as your cues to act.
In contrast, unease and discontent mark the languishing self. Because bad habits anesthetize pain, you’re drawn to them. Furthermore, your thoughts drift to fear or anger and you spend lots of time thinking about yourself.
3. Time. Flourishing also transforms your time. You greet each morning with a sense of expectancy. Also, you receive each moment as a God-filled gift.
4. Relationships. You find others to be a source of wonder and you listen deeply. In addition, others often bring you energy. On the other hand, your languishing self often is troubled. You’re undisciplined in what you say. And you isolate, dominate, attack, or withdraw.
5. Experiences. God changes your experiences as He grows you. He desires to use you in His plan to redeem the world. As a result, you live with a sense of calling and show resilience in suffering.
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you win the battle between your flourishing self and your languishing self? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the annotated bibliography of Walking with God: How to Hear His Voice
