There are two needed and required things in our life: God-awareness and self-awareness.  They both work in tandem.  If you have a sense of God-awareness but not self-awareness, you may ‘believe’ in God but not need Him.  The scripture tells us that "even the demons believe in God.”  If you have self-awareness apart from God-awareness, despair is your likely companion. 

After a very well-publicized and high profile murder case, a client said to me, "I do not know why everyone thinks that this person is not capable of this crime.  We are all capable of it."  That statement made me ‘pause’.  This is a person of self-awareness.  If we do not recognize both the good and bad parts of self, we live in a state of denial. 

Many people say to me "I don't understand what you are talking about.  I don't have anger, hurt, fear, resentment, etc." Or they state, "I don't have anyone I need to forgive."  These may sound positive, however, they are actually statements of pride! 

A client has been working through her family of origin issues.  She could readily see the inadequacies and failures of her family.  But, recently, she recognized these same and other failings in herself.  That insight actually freed her - she was able to see her need for forgiveness, grace, and the power of God to transform her. 

We ‘need to need’ the presence of God in our life. By the same token, if we only see ourselves realistically and not God, we live in shame.  We see our failings but feel ‘hopeless and helpless’ that anything could change.  A healthy God-awareness makes us bow in worship and awe at the grace, love, goodness, and power of God through Christ.  He CAN transform our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. A balance of both self and God-awareness creates a life of both freedom and victory.  We know who we are but through the constant power and presence of the Holy Spirit, we know and see who we can be. 

This is my prayer for each of you - that you live in harmony of both self-awareness and God's transforming love and power!!!!  

Grace, Marty