by
Tameka Jackson
The Biggest
Battle
of All Time: You
vs. You
Base Scripture: James 1: 22-24 (NIV)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Often, I read the Word, have my daily devotion, go to church, jump up and down, cry and drool, but leave and forget what my face looks like. I have lived on this earth for a quarter of a century and one would think I can at least remember what I look like. Sometimes, I find myself staring at my picture as if I've never seen it before. It is amazing how lighting, make-up, tamed eyebrows and clear skin can change your appearance.
Recently, I invested some money in cosmetics products for my face, because I have suffered with acne since puberty, which has left my face with many blemishes. Well after I put on one layer of foundation, I still could see the blemishes. I had to put on several layers, before I could see the flawless tone I had wished to attain. I have always believed make-up was supposed to enhance your natural features, not create a whole new face. I am a pretty natural person, so the idea of piling make-up on, was not feasible for me. As a result, I took a trip to the dermatologist, who prescribed some vigorous medicine. My face went through many transitions: it peeled, ached, and burned. If I used other products on my face, I had to be very careful, because too much sun or a strong cleanser could do severe damage. For example, every two or three weeks, I visit the nail salon to get my eyebrows waxed. Well, while I was taking this medicine to clear up my skin, I did not take in consideration that some hot wax could also cause damage. Well, as a result, I left with burnt eyebrows. But, it was all for the sake of having clear skin.
I relate this whole ordeal to my process of finding out what I really look like. I am still learning who I really am, but in this season of my life, God has me taking a strategic and thorough examination of myself. He showed me how I go through these mundane make-up routines, applying all this make-up to cover up my bad skin or my bad personality, bad attitude, bad motives, and wrong spirit. Reading my bible; but nothing changing; saying Amen, but I know the Word have not took root, quoting scriptures and not living them; pointing out other people's blemishes, but putting make-up on mine. We don't know how our face looks, because we forget. It is much easier to see somebody else's face. This is where we mess up, because I have seen other people's blemishes and crucified them. I didn't work with them, I didn't realize I see their blemishes clearly through their make-up because they are familiar to me. Why, because I do or did have the same blemishes. WARNING: Don't crucify someone for something you do or have yourself. I have let many down, because I was too immature and irresponsible to handle their flaws. I was so busy trying to keep my make-up together.
LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE: In this corner we have the "real" me and in the other corner we have “me” I portray to be. The 'me' we portray to be is only an illusion – there is no mirror in front of us, so we make up what we want people to see. We dress nice, act wholesome and put on a front to avoid looking in our own mirror. But one day, the mask must come down, covers are pulled off and you are forced to see who you really are. That is the moment; you enter into boot camp, not war. War is a battle between a seen or visual enemy, boot camp is the battle between the unseen enemy or the the unknown adversary that lives with us.
When we are forced to look in our own mirror, it is when God is not going to let us fool ourselves anymore. We cannot wear makeup with Him, he made us, so he knows every detail, but he still loves us. Although we may forget what the face in the mirror looks like, he surely knows. God says true worshippers – true - come to him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23 -- for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks . Not like the Pharisee – Lord, look at all I have done, I fast and I tithe. I'm even in the temple praying to you. Thank you Lord for not making me so weak, like those people – Thank you Lord for making me superior – Yeah, thanks God; you're awesome . Luke 18:9-14 (NIV – with emphasis) He looked down on that tax collector, but if you have ever been in a broken situation, a place where God shows you who you really are, there is no room to look down on anyone. A reality check should kick in and remind us where we came from, who delivered us from that place and who KEEPS us. To tell the truth, it doesn't matter how much you read the bible, go to church or how many works you do, it is only by his grace and mercy that we can do anything. Once we realize that we are only a thin line between the person we claim to be and the person we look down on, judgment goes out the window. We continually fool ourselves, when we exalt our triumphs, and leave our faults and shortcomings in the shadows.
This battle is so
important, because it is when God can really manifest Himself in us.
We are not fighting the people around us, we are fighting ourselves.
You know your every move, you know your strategies, you know your
thought patterns, what you're equipped with and what you aren't. You
know you, like no one else knows you. That is the ultimate battle, you vs. you.
Upon
realizing who you are, then we should want to get to the root
of our problem.
Going to the dermatologist in the natural and going to God in the
spiritual. Bad skin or character needs to be dealt with, not made over.
This is when the peeling, aching, and burning of your flesh begins to
annoy you. It's okay, though, you are not alone in this
process.
The Apostle Paul
tells of his own experience; in order for him to not become
conceited, because of how much of God he encountered and all he had
seen…he was given a thorn in his flesh, II Corinthians 12:7.
This is
the Apostle Paul we are talking about, the same Paul that healed the
cripple, Acts 14:8-10; cast out a spirit of divination, Acts 16:16-18;
healed the multitudes, Acts 19:11, 12; restored Eutychus to life, Acts
20:9-12; shakes off a viper, Acts 28:3-6; and healed the father of
Publius,
Acts 28:7-9. If he had a thorn in his flesh, then, why do we think we
are any different.
We started out talking about the mirror and who the battle is really with, but now we are going to end with how to win the battle. The ultimate conclusion is since you know you, you can very well kill you. It is all about dying to yourself. Denying yourself, killing your will, hearing the truth about you, killing the you that you want to be and portray, accepting the you that you are and allowing God to put you on the potter's wheel to hew you out, reshape and mold you. Let me just say, this is a continual process and it hurts like no other pain I know. Matthew 16:24 quotes, Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me . A spiritual death of the flesh is good, because then Christ can live. The road to dying to yourself is hard, but attainable. Some sacrifices have to be made, blood shed, struggles, tears and pain, but God will surely get the glory when we are crucified. He can then be all He is in us, then our testimony can be – It's no longer I that live, but Christ that live in me . Galatians 2:20.
I hope this changes your life and outlook as it has
mine. Please
feel free to share your mirror experience with me at
tameka@wheretoworship.com
God Bless.
