Di Bassinga Diaries: It's Important to Know Yourself, But Where Does That Get You?

I think that there is a very important difference between knowing yourself and confronting yourself. Both are important, but I want to focus today on the confrontational aspect; my reason being that the importance of simply knowing yourself -- your strengths and weaknesses, your dreams and nightmares, etc. -- is a very well explored topic (that might not stop me from writing about it later, though), it's advice that I've heard and have given very often. I feel, however, when giving such advice, that we too often leave it at simply accumulating knowledge. Now, it's great to spend time in the trenches really discovering the essence of your soul or personality, but what good is this information to us if we're not using it?

For example, I've known since at least sophomore year of high school that I don't often allow myself to dream big; it's a struggle I'm still working through. I've seen great improvements in this area, but only recently have I seen such growth -- like, in the last 2 or 3 months, recent. But if you were to ask me (or perhaps my mother, who'd more likely give an honest answer at the time) if I felt that I could dream bigger, or more daringly, than I did, I'd probably tell you that I definitely could, but, I'd have left it at that without another thought. This blog is a result of me finally acting on a dream, an idea, a vision; I don't know what it holds, but I know that this is one of the more exciting things of done in my life, and it might be one of the most important things (at least for myself). I'll explore dreaming big in another post, but the important note here is that there is always room to improve and expand, and many of us know where the doors to these rooms are, but we seldom step into them. I think the most common way we avoid going through these doors is by offering excuses as to why we can't. In Exodus 3 and 4, we see Moses respond this way when God calls him to lead His people out of Egypt. Even after God has displayed His power and His support for Moses in Chapter 4, Moses continues (after a slew of excuses that have come before), saying "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent...please send someone else" (Exodus 4:10-13). This is our natural response as humans (generally), but this mindset doesn't lead to any growth.

How many problem areas, or dreams, or tough conversations, are you ignoring right now? What is one thing that you know needs to be done, even though it might be difficult or uncomfortable (it almost certainly will be)? What business are you dreaming of? Or maybe a dream house? Or a dream body or lifestyle? What do you wish your devotional life looked like? Or your friendships and relationships? Now what does it take to get to where you want to go? I believe that we need to be much more comfortable confronting ourselves. Make the decision to really get to know yourself if you haven't yet (this process is one that will be lifelong, but you should start the habit as soon as possible), and once you've found something that causes a reaction in you -- anxiety, excitement, disgust, joy, restlessness, any other strong emotion -- take note of it and take the time to really figure out what you can do about it. Pray about, if you pray, talk to some friends and ask if they've noticed anything in you that needs action; see a therapist if you need to. By whatever means you must, confront the parts of you that need confronting, and do so to completion. You might do something worth celebrating, like Moses' Exodus.

Verses to Look Back On:

Exodus 3 & 4

Lamentations 3:40

Colossians 3:17, 23-24

James 1:5