“Maybe the walls of cynicism, compromise, disconnection, irrelevance, pride, burnout, and emptiness show us the poverty of life apart from God. They do for me. Essentially, these are the things I accomplish unredeemed — untouched by grace and the regenerative work of God.”- Carey Nieuwhof
Carey Nieuwhof completes the Conclusion of Didn’t See It Coming as he discusses four things self-aware people know that others don’t. In Pastor Nieuwhof’s experience, self-aware people realize:
- their impact on others. Carey considers this characteristic the most endearing. Because you grow as a person when you stop using your emotions as the sole filter through which you process your thoughts and actions. As you self-regulate, you become more interested in other people than you are in yourself.
- their weaknesses. When you understand and respect your weaknesses, you’re easier to work with and more valuable to the people around you. In addition, self-aware people limit their activities in areas where they aren’t gifted.
- their strengths. Self-aware people know their God-given talents and abilities. But, they don’t brag about it. They just do it.
- their limits. Carey believes that to ignore your limits constitutes one of the deadliest mistakes you can make. Therefore, self-aware people realistically know where their limits end and where others need to begin.
Finally, Calvin believed that if you neve really know yourself, you’ll be content with your capacity and abilities. As a result, you’ll never feel your need for God. Carey concludes:
“And so it comes full circle. Without knowledge of self, there’s no knowledge of God. And without knowledge of God, there’s no knowledge of self. With that circle closed, you will be in a far better position to see what’s coming. And, best yet, you’ll be ready to deal with it, not alone, but together with a God who created you and who deeply loves you.”
Today’s question: How has God’s grace touched the unredeemed portions of your life? Please share.
Special note: the annotated bibliography of Didn’t See It Coming posts Monday, December 3rd
New addition to Crown Jewels: “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”
Tomorrow’s blog: “No power/control to make Mr. Hardship leave”
