Listening to Yourself
This week we’re reflecting on what it means to be peacemakers. As Cody Miler pointed out yesterday in the sermon, if we are going to be peacemakers, we’re going to need to start by making peace with ourselves.
On his way to talking about being a peacemaker, James points out how difficult it is to make peace if there’s a lot of junk inside of us:
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. - James 3:13-14
As Cody pointed out, when anxiety, fear, and control dominate our internal world, they are often ‘harbored’ in our bodies, replayed over and over in our minds, and bubble up in the emotions that pour out of our hearts. What if, in the name of becoming a peacemaker like Christ, we took some time today to listen to ourselves to understand better where we are not at peace?
So let’s try an exercise. Get some place comfortable and ask yourself these three questions - and give yourself a few moments to really scan yourself as you do so - and then offer up the prayer.
Listen to your body. Can you hear any disruptive thing harbored there?
Listen to your heart. What emotions are bubbling up?
Listen to your mind. What anxious thoughts are on repeat?
Prayer:
Body, heart and mind - you are each part of me but not all of me, and you are showing what’s on my inside I welcome each thing you’ve spoken to me - welcome, welcome. Lord Jesus, I surrender each of these things to you, granting that they are indeed within me. Would you bring your healing touch as well as the healing that comes as I welcome my own self.