In my personal journey, I’ve been traveling down the road of “Self Awareness Avenue,” but it’s not a nice, winding, two lane country road… easy to learn… it seems to resemble an eight lane super highway… very busy, very congested, a cacophony of chaos… with ideas and thoughts whizzing by at great speed!
Our destination? We would like to end up where happiness and gratitude… intersect with hardship and struggle.
The only reason to embark on a journey of getting to know thyself would be so that we can make a better life for ourselves. To improve our understanding.
To be a more cheerful version of ourselves.
Most articles don’t tell you that up front.
They might say, “Get To Know Yourself… And Be Successful!”
That’s the hook.
But being successful and being happy are very vague statements.
Let’s say you do learn how to navigate that eight lane highway, and you understand yourself, knowing where all of your exits, on ramps, and round abouts are located.
Then what?
What do you DO with that information?
This 2021 year, for me, my family, and my extended family, has been a big poke in the eye so far.
So today’s word, and this weeks lesson, is about being RESILIENT.
Being able to take the hits life dishes out today… and bouncing back tomorrow.
resilient (adj.) 1640s, “springing back,” from Latin resilientem “inclined to leap or spring back,” present participle of resilire (see resilience). Figuratively, of persons, from 1830. Related: Resiliently. ~ Online Etymology
In the New Testament, Book of John, Jesus makes his famous, “I Am…” statements.
He knew who he was.
Today I’ll present my, “I am” statements… cataloging what I think I have found out about myself thus far… what I’m going to do with that information remains to be seen.
Setting aside for just a moment who I am in Gods eyes. If I had to draw a picture of myself, here’s how it would go.
I am… feminine… because I hung out with my mom. I don’t fit into a “pissing match hierarchy” of masculinity. When I don’t participate with men in that fashion, instead remaining aloof, the others get nervous, don’t trust me, and think me to be arrogant.
I don’t participate in that type of banter because in my youth a smart mouth, with casual acquaintances, could get your ass beat!
I am… fine working alone. People need people. But I don’t need people like you need people… and that is off putting to others.
I am… not averse to risk. I have addictive attributes with entrepreneurial tendencies. I’m ok taking risks, putting myself “out there.”
I am… more emotionally informed, and emotionally mature, now… than at any other time in my life. Understanding that you don’t hold the key to my reactions… I do. How can you bother me…being way over there?
I am… a good dad. A DEFINITE DAD.
I am… a mediocre, at best, husband.
I am… a great acquaintance, but a careful friend.
I am… a helper. The bible describes it as a “gift of helps.”
I am… steadfast.
I am… dependable.
I am… resilient.
All… by the grace of God.
In His word he commands us to, “be not afraid; be a man of courage; and do not be DISMAYED.
The Hebrew word for dismayed is “shattered.” Imagine Him saying, “Do not be shattered.”
Even when life tries it’s hardest to shatter you, when you feel like you can’t bounce back… “not again.”
We have Him, saying, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I Am always with you.”
Understanding yourself, and Him, just leaves us with that next question…
“What do I do with this new information, and mature way of thinking?”
I’m not sure.
But my attitude now days, understanding who I am, understanding who I am as a child of God, lends me to borrow a phrase from Gonzalez Texas, uttered in 1835, when Mexican troops came to remove a canon that was given the city for self defense, and would very soon be used to fight for independence. In my daily battles, when life comes knocking HARD, I borrow the townsfolk sentiment, when wanting to keep their canon… I say to the enemy… as they said,
“Come and get it!”
I appreciated this article, I have found it is very difficult for most people to be able to say “I am…” IF you ask people who they are without stating what they do for a living, their marital status, or where they are from 90% are stumped as how to answer. Knowing who you are (and are not!) is such a fine piece of treasure to have in your pocket.