Mental Health Monday: Who do You THINK You Are?

 

For through the grace given me, I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think—but to use sound judgment, as God has assigned to each person a measure of faith.

Romans 12:3

Do you know who you are? Where do you stand? What is your position? From a spiritual standpoint, most believers can easily answer these three questions.  Some who believe in the christian faith might answer by saying - "In Christ, we are the righteousness of GOD" according to 2 Cor 5:21.  Others might answer by saying that "We are a chosen generation" according to 1 Peter 2:9.  H-O-W-E-V-E-R a christian believer chooses to answer would most likely positively position the believer in relationship to the Most High God through Christ Jesus.  And, that is good news - to know that we are positively positioned in relationship to HIM!

Answering those same questions from a natural standpoint can be a bit more difficult.  Why? Because so many times, we think that we are this when we are really that. Simply put, we often have an incorrect perception of ourselves as it relates to others. Have you ever thought that you were important to someone only to find out that person really didn’t think much of you? Have you ever believed that you were #1 in someone’s life only to realize that you really weren’t?  Coming to grips with such a realization can be very disheartening - even to the point of crushing the spirit.

Romans 12:3 warns us NOT to think too highly of ourselves.  Oftentimes in relationships, one person has high regards for another person who barely knows they exist.  And, sometimes a person places the wrong person on a pedestal that should be reserved for the right person.  Both cases can result in disappointment and frustration.

Let us reevaluate our relationships and rid ourselves of inflated perceptions that often result in broken spirits and soul hurt.  (Check out my post on Soul Hurt.)

In closing, consider the following as you identify who you are, where you stand and what your position is as it relates to the people in your life that you highly regard.

• Understand who you are. Most importantly, understand who you are not.

• Don’t be disillusioned by ignoring the obvious!

And remember, it is okay to seek professional help in order to put things in perspective.

Shalom