There are many ways of learning
about ourselves. Here are a few methods which have proven helpful.
Journaling
Journaling is perhaps the best
and oldest method of self-examination. Journaling can be written or recorded on
audio tape or video. Most practitioners
of journaling still prefer to write them,
since the process of writing is slower and causes us to weigh o
Journaling not only records our
reflections, but helps us uncover our emotions. In telling the story of each
day, we do what every story teller does—we assign meaning to what is most
important. When we adopt a prayerful attitude, we learn to assign that meaning
in the light of Christ.
Journaling was widely used among
Christians of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. The journals of Wesley, Whitfield, John
Owen, and others provide for a rich record of God’s work in individual lives,
and provided a source of stability in the lives of the authors.
Donald Whitney writes:
“More than almost any other discipline, journaling has a fascinating appeal with nearly all who
hear about it. One reason is the way
journaling blends biblical doctrine and daily living, like the confluence of
two great rivers, into one. And since
each believer’s journey down life’s river involves bends and hazards previously
unexplored by them on the way to the Celestial City, something about journaling
this journey appeals to the adventuresome spirit of Christian growth.” [1]
In our journals, we write down
what happened during the day, and what we felt about them. But in Christian journaling
we take it one step farther. We ask the
question—where was God in our day? God is a living presence in our lives
every moment. How is He reacting hour by
hour and minute by minute to what we are thinking, doing and feeling? Where was God in our struggles? What
blessings has He given us? How is He
revealing Himself in our lives?
Journaling is not just and inner conversation, but an upward
conversation to Him. As we speak in our
journals about Him, we often experience His voice talking back to us.
Examens
Examinations are means of laying our thoughts, actions, and
emotions against the authority of Scripture.
The practice is very old, going back to the Old Testament. Psalm 119:9, for example, says ‘How can a young man keep his way pure? By
living according to your word’.
Paul recommends Scripture-based examinations
in 2 Tim. 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” We
often focus on the semantic issue of what he meant by “God-breathed” and miss
the very practical issue of what he is asking us to do—submit our thoughts,
lives, and behavior to the correcting, rebuking, and training the
Scripture. We talk about the Bible as
God’s word, but we don’t treat it as God’s word. It becomes an object of debate, but not
obedience.
Examens are practical applications
of the Bible to our lives on a regular basis.
Here’s an example.
Begin with a passage of
Scripture—the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) for example, or the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Read it several times slowly, each time asking
yourself one of these questions:
What is there for me to do or believe in this passage?
What promises are here for me?
Where have I fallen short?
Where do I need to change?
We should not become discouraged
when discover our thoughts, feelings, and behavior are far short of what they
should be. Growth takes time. Just accept God’s forgiveness and move on.
Many times, we discover that we
have not disobeyed God in big things--we’ve committed no murders or have avoided
adultery--but we do find in ourselves harsh, cynical attitudes, or small
slights towards others. When we find this, we should confess them and deal with
them. This is not because God is such a
petty perfectionist that He would cast us out of His kingdom over littering or
jaywalking, but because God wants us to improve ourselves, and get
stronger.
Effort given to small sins
increase our ability to resist big sins. A small weight lifted a hundred times will
build as much muscle as a large weight lifted ten times. The small, daily victories of God’s grace
in our lives, when told and recorded, will strengthen our faith daily.
The word “examen” comes from St. Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. It has
been adapted for the modern world many times. One such modern form is found in
Jim Manney’s excellent little book A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering
the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola's
Examen. He suggests five simple
steps done daily:
“1. Ask God for light.
“2. Give thanks.
“3. Review the day.
“4. Face your shortcomings.
“5. Look toward the day to come.[2]
Every self-examination needs to be accompanied with an assurance of
God’s forgiveness. If in our zeal for
improvement concentrate too hard on our faults and our need for improvement,
then our thoughts wander from Him and towards ourselves. The only way to perform an examen profitably is keep the Cross in mind. Our failures are due to our sinful nature;
our successes are due to His grace.
Remembering this helps us to keep perspective so that each recognition
of our osn limitations becomes a reminder of His unlimited forgiveness.
Questions for Self Examination
Do I journal my thoughts on a regular basis?
Is a spiritual self-examination part of your devotional life? If so, how is it working for you?
What methods of self-examination
work best for your life?
If this blog has meant something to
you, please share it with your friends.
Also, go back and read my other blogs in this series, and if you are
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Check out my YouTube channels,
too, especially the
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check out my sermon blog, billsmessages.blogspot.com.
One more thing—comment on the post.
I crave feedback. If you don’t want to
comment publicly I can be reached on Facebook or directly by email at pastorbill@comporium.net or bfleming2@windstream.net.
[1]
Whitney, Donald S. (2012-01-05). Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
with Bonus Content (Pilgrimage Growth Guide) (p. 221).
Navpress. Kindle Edition.
[2] Jim Manney A
Simple, Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola's Examen (Kindle Location
1). Kindle Edition.
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