6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”
(Jeremiah 1:6-8, ESV)
When I was a young boy, my grandmother would take us to the Trenton State Fair. In the Fair, there was a house of mirrors. The interesting thing about the house of mirrors was that when you looked in some of the mirrors you saw a very distorted and sometimes grotesque image of yourself, a distorted reality. Imagine if seeing this you would believe that the image you saw was real. It would likely ruin your day and change the way you would interface with society.
Unfortunately, from the view of emotional wellness we must be careful that we do not find ourselves in the house of mirrors. I mean that we must not have a distorted view of ourselves. This is often the cause of much emotional unrest and behavioral issues in life. Often people with this problem have a low view of themselves. They feel unworthy, incapable, unloved, and etcetera. A major issue with this is that they can come to a place of depression.
How does this happen? One with this low view of self may have been damaged by what others have said. A repetitive message like, “You’ll never amount to anything” or, “You’re so stupid,” or “You’re so ugly,” can have severe detrimental effects on people. It can be failures in life or rejections by people. Sometimes, people will set conditions for acceptance, the I will love you if . . . People with the problem of a low view of themselves may experience depression, or fears of taking risks like trying something new. They will often fail to reach their full potential.
Another issue of the distorted view of self is that of self-exaltation. This is when people see themselves as the greatest thing since sliced bread. These people will alienate many and have a problem of becoming ego-centric or overbearing.
What is the solution for the house of mirrors? First, the person with a low view of self, must trust the truth of God’s word. It is that you were “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, ESV). When God made us, He completely loved us and looks at us as wonderful. “God doesn’t make any junk.” He has an awesome purpose for our lives Moreover, He is with every believer to give strength, courage, and ability to accomplish His glorious purposes in life. So, do not believe the lies people have told you about yourself. Do not allow failures to stifle you, but realize that they are learning experiences which God will use to prepare you for the future.
Second, the one who struggles with self-exaltation, must humble himself. A failure to do so with lead to failure in life. Remember that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, ESV). Realize that your successes in life are there because you have experienced God’s grace, His blessing. God has created you in a wonderful way and has an awesome plan for you too. Give Him the glory and do not esteem yourself higher than others. You will discover a blessing when you can get your priorities right. It is “Jesus, others, and then you.” Look at the acronym (J)esus, (O)thers, (Y)ou. It spells JOY. When you put Jesus first, others second, and you last, you will experience joy in your soul.
Renewing the Heart 