What Do I Really Value?
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Personal honesty sounds like an ability we all possess. So, why would we lie to ourselves? We want to be positive individuals with a positive self-image. Being our best selves is a mantra we regularly hear. Plus, as people of faith, we want to be the best selves to honor our God. So, it is not surprising that many, or all of us, lie to ourselves about what we value.
Rather than ignoring our embarrassing values, it is better to face them with honesty. Begin by evaluating your emotions. If you play a game with friends and then get angry when you lose, what value are you hiding from yourself? If someone cuts you off on the highway and you want to react violently, what does that tell you about what you value? Notice if you experience a sense of euphoria when someone you know suffers a professional setback; what value are you fostering?
Self-awareness is a spiritual journey because knowing ourselves allows us to reach out to God and seek assistance and improvement. God wants to help us become emotionally and spiritually strong. When we are at our emotional and spiritual best, we can better love God and others. We become better ambassadors for God. The more we lie to ourselves about what we value, the less capable we are of making change and continuing to transform ourselves into Christ’s image.
Once you recognize the values you have been hiding, it is time to make positive changes. First, through prayer, invite God into the process of transformation. Do not let guilt keep you from including God in your approach. Instead, begin replacing values you are not fond of with new ones that can replace those you’ve been ignoring. For example, valuing winning above friendships in a simple game can be transformed into writing down experiences worth your competitive edge and those where the values of friendship and love are more important to you. This form of intentional reflection will improve your emotional well-being and bless your spiritual growth.
