Look In…Know Yourself from the Inside Out
Insights from our Christian small groups workbook Fit & Flourish
Finish this sentence in ten ways…
“I am…”
Tough, isn’t it? I remember reading that the early astronauts had to finish that sentence 50 different ways. NASA leaders knew that if a person didn’t know themselves from the inside out…realistically and honestly—strengths, weaknesses, sense of identity, beliefs about themselves, how they handled stress—they were not ready to handle the unknowns of space travel.
In the same way, knowing ourselves from the inside out is essential to being ready to handle the unknowns of our own future. Knowing ourselves from the inside out is also essential to enter the fit and flourish life Jesus wants for us.
In this chapter of our book Fit & Flourish: Discover How God Created You to Make a Difference, we’ll look at four questions that help you know yourself better.
1. How do you “see” yourself? Having a true view of who you are is second only of having a true view of God. We’ll go deep to help you see yourself as God wants you to understand who you are.
2. What’s your natural wiring? Whether you call it personality, temperament, or natural wiring, we all have a unique approach to how we communicate, process information, approach problem solving, relate to people, and act under stress. If I’d have understood my personality sooner, I’d have saved myself and others a whole lot of pain. Hopefully, understanding your natural wiring will help you leverage your life for His glory.
3. What supernatural gifts has God given you? Every child of God has been blessed with spiritual gifts…by His grace, He gives us power above and beyond our personalities. Learn about the “Ten-Foot-Tall Principle” and discover what a difference it makes when God shows up in ways only He can!
4. What’s holding you back? So much of the fit and flourish life depends on basing everything on truth and grace. Believing lies about ourselves and God becomes a barrier to God’s best. Choosing God’s truths empowers us to overcome the barriers. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32) is meant to be an ongoing reality for us!
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
- I Corinthians 15:10
The truth of this verse has become precious to me in recent years. Here’s how the verse resonates with me:
“By the grace of God I am who I am…and His grace to me hasn’t been wasted…it is powerful and effective. And I won’t waste His grace…it fuels everything I do!”
Coach Yourself Forward
1. “I am…”As you complete that phrase about yourself, what words or phrases come to mind? Why?
2. Have you ever taken a personality inventory before? If so, what have you learned about yourself? If not, how would you describe your natural wiring?
3. When you consider what might be holding you back from being able to fit and flourish, what barriers do you need to overcome? What truths can set you free?