Image via WikipediaAn essential starting point for dealing with human frailty is self-awareness. The Christian must in him or herself be a model in the Christian community of self-discovery and self-acceptance. One way of engaging in this process of self-awareness is to reflect on the 'Ideal Self', the 'Presented Self' and the 'Self as Experienced by others' as summarized in the points below.
IDEAL SELF
What I would like to be as a person
What I want to feel and do
PRESENTED SELF
How I think I act in real life
How I feel about myself
SELF AS EXPERIENCED BY OTHERS
How open I am to the responses of others to me
How I evaluate and respond to the reactions of others
The closer these three areas overlap, the more in touch the individual is with his or her humanity. Christians don't easily accept who they are, or the kind of person they sense they are, or the kind of person they sense they are deep down. If responses in the three areas are quite disparate, then this constitutes a signal that the individual needs to do some intentional, hard thinking about this area.
Individual and trainer reflection
Take 30-45 minutes to consider prayerfully your own current responses to the 'three selves' listed above. Honesty and discernment are necessary ingredients, as is a deep desire, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, to bring the three into greater congruence.
One suggestion for stimulating self-awareness in the company of your trainer is to do the following exercise with that person:
WHO AM I?
a. With a folded sheet of paper, so that each set of written responses will not be seen by you, and respond verbally to the question that is asked three times by the trainer: 'Who are You?' The trainer records your responses, and returns the paper to you.
b. Then you are invited to share with your trainer your new learnings about yourself.
c. Share prayer together, rejoicing in new positive understandings, and being sensitive to difficult discoveries.
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