Know Yourself

   As a teenager I heard the phrase “I’m trying to find myself” many times.  Those words aren’t used much anymore but the thought behind them is still at work in our lives.  We have a need to find ourselves; to know who we are and why we are.  Until we know ourselves we can’t truly know others.

   The key lies within us.  At our deepest level we know the answer to the question of who we are.  But knowing that is only the first step.  We have a lot of baggage that needs to be unloaded before we can really get to the center of our being.  To do away with the unnecessary we need to focus on the necessary.

   There is only one way to begin to really know ourselves.  That way is with God.  He knew us long before we existed in this world.  He has known us from the beginning of time and wants us to know ourselves as well.  God also wants us to know Him but we can’t truly know Him until we better know ourselves.

   If we could honestly see ourselves without the worldly clutter I believe we would see a small, lonely being searching for happiness and love.  That small being is who we are at the most basic.  Until we realize that our spiritual needs are far greater than our mortal needs we will continue to struggle in our efforts to know who we truly are; children of God.

   God is the only one who truly knows us so we need to seek Him and ask for His help in getting to know ourselves.  All other sources are untrustworthy; only God can help in this effort.  He created us for happiness and that happiness can only be found in Him.  We were created with an innate desire to be with God and only He can show us the way that leads to Him.

   When we finally realize that our eternal happiness is only possible through truly knowing ourselves and our God we can begin the journey home.  We can come to know the glory of God and the glory He has planned for us.  We can begin to know ourselves.