In Utmost for His Highest today, Mr. Chambers states,
"Jesus did not say, 'He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,' but, in essence, 'He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.' Our Lord's teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person--His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure."
So...I guess this means that what I learned about Carl Jung's "self-actualization" in high school psychology class is just a bunch of bunk (you can thank my father for that phrase). Jung said, if I remember it right, basically, the goal of one's life is to fully realize the self--that is the highest plane of existence..."self-actualization". But, as Christ-followers, we must disagree with this premise. As Christ-followers, we are called to be "broken bread and poured out wine".
Am I there yet?
Do I truly live for God's glory, having no need to become successful, or talented, or esteemed?
Do I, like Mary of Bethany, who broke the flask of costly perfume and poured it upon Jesus' head, do my acts of service...or love...or mercy out of pure devotion? And not because I crave the affirmation and approval of man? Or if my acts aren't received approvingly (as was the case for Mary), do I worry what others will think?
Am I bound to a particular set of social rules or am I totally surrendered to Jesus? If I am "all in", then I need not worry if the world finds me peculiar. If I am "all in", I will be drawing attention to my Father and not to myself. If I am "all in", I won't be seeking my own satisfaction--my own self-actualization--I will be seeking to hide myself in Jesus. Only then will I be truly satisfied.
God's goal is not to make me beautiful. God's goal is to make Himself beautiful through me.
"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
John 7:38
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