Self-Awareness: The Key to Spiritual Impact

 

Summary

In today's exploration of spiritual growth, we delve into the life and teachings of Ignatius of Loyola, a master of spiritual life who profoundly impacted the world through his deep self-awareness and commitment to truth. Ignatius teaches us that to make a significant impact, we must first have a realistic understanding of ourselves and the world around us. This journey begins with rigorous self-examination, a practice that few undertake but is essential for true transformation.

Ignatius's life was marked by setbacks and challenges, which he used as opportunities for profound self-reflection. His journey from a soldier to a spiritual leader was not straightforward; it involved grappling with personal failures and understanding his strengths and weaknesses. This process of self-discovery is crucial for anyone who desires to make a meaningful impact in life. It requires asking and answering difficult questions about who we are, what we believe, and what resources we possess.

A significant barrier to self-awareness is what Lou Smeeds calls a "corrupted consciousness," where we distort reality to fit our desired self-image. This self-deception is pervasive, affecting individuals and nations alike. We often close our minds to uncomfortable truths, preferring ignorance over the pain of reality. However, true freedom and the ability to impact the world come from living in truth, which only God can fully reveal to us.

Ignatius invites us into a practice of self-examination with God's help, in an atmosphere of truth and grace. This involves reflecting on personal weaknesses, integrating our value systems into our lives, and respecting others and creation. It also requires tuning out distractions to focus on self-reflection and making decisions aligned with our values. By doing so, we can see God's presence in our daily lives and understand our hidden sins, allowing us to impact the world authentically.

Key Takeaways:

1. Self-Awareness as a Prerequisite for Impact: To impact the world, we must first understand ourselves deeply. This involves rigorous self-examination and acknowledging our strengths and weaknesses. Ignatius of Loyola exemplifies how setbacks can lead to profound self-discovery and transformation. [02:18]

2. The Danger of Self-Deception: We often deceive ourselves by distorting reality to fit our desired self-image. This self-deception prevents us from living in truth and hinders our ability to impact the world. Recognizing and overcoming this tendency is crucial for spiritual growth. [06:07]

3. Living in Truth with God's Help: True freedom and the ability to impact the world come from living in truth, which only God can fully reveal. Engaging in self-examination with God's guidance allows us to see our hidden sins and align our lives with His truth. [07:07]

4. Integrating Values into Daily Life: It's not enough to articulate a value system; we must integrate it into our daily lives. This involves reflecting on personal weaknesses, respecting others, and making decisions aligned with our values. Such integration leads to authentic impact. [08:40]

5. Daily Reflection and Decision-Making: Regular self-reflection helps us see God's presence in our lives and understand our hidden sins. By considering our choices and making decisions aligned with our values, we can impact the world authentically and meaningfully. [09:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to Ignatius of Loyola
- [00:42] - The Importance of Self-Awareness
- [01:12] - Ignatius's Journey and Setbacks
- [01:49] - Learning from Challenges
- [02:33] - Honest Self-Appraisal
- [02:57] - The Problem of Corrupted Consciousness
- [03:23] - Historical Examples of Self-Deception
- [04:44] - Personal Examples of Self-Deception
- [06:07] - The Double Treachery of Self-Deception
- [07:07] - Self-Examination with God's Help
- [08:11] - Reflecting on Personal Weaknesses
- [09:24] - Daily Reflection and Decision-Making
- [10:43] - Inviting God to Reveal Truth
- [10:59] - Conclusion and Invitation to Reflect

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) - "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
2. John 8:32 (NIV) - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
3. James 1:22-25 (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 someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."

---

Observation Questions:

1. What does Ignatius of Loyola's journey from a soldier to a spiritual leader teach us about the role of setbacks in personal growth? [01:12]

2. How does the sermon describe the concept of "corrupted consciousness," and what are some examples given? [02:57]

3. According to the sermon, what role does self-examination play in living a life aligned with God's truth? [07:07]

4. What are some of the daily practices mentioned in the sermon that can help integrate our values into our lives? [09:24]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the idea of "corrupted consciousness" relate to the biblical concept of sin and self-deception? [06:51]

2. In what ways does Ignatius of Loyola's practice of self-examination with God's help align with the teachings of Psalm 139:23-24?

3. How might the freedom described in John 8:32 be experienced through rigorous self-examination and living in truth? [06:22]

4. What does James 1:22-25 suggest about the importance of integrating our values into our daily actions, and how does this relate to Ignatius's teachings? [08:40]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent setback in your life. How can you use this experience for self-examination and growth, similar to Ignatius's journey? [01:12]

2. Identify an area in your life where you might be distorting reality to fit a desired self-image. What steps can you take to confront this self-deception? [02:57]

3. How can you incorporate a daily practice of self-examination to better align your life with God's truth, as suggested in the sermon? [09:24]

4. Think of a value that you hold dear but struggle to integrate into your daily life. What practical steps can you take to ensure this value is reflected in your actions? [08:40]

5. Consider a time when you ignored uncomfortable truths about yourself. How can you invite God to reveal these truths and guide you towards transformation? [10:43]

6. How can you create a habit of daily reflection to recognize God's presence in your life and make decisions aligned with your values? [09:43]

7. Choose one aspect of your life where you feel disconnected from your values. What is one specific change you can make this week to bridge that gap? [08:40]

Devotional

Day 1: Self-Awareness as a Path to Transformation
To truly impact the world, one must first embark on a journey of self-awareness. This involves a rigorous process of self-examination, where individuals confront their strengths and weaknesses. Ignatius of Loyola's life exemplifies this journey, as he transformed from a soldier to a spiritual leader through deep self-reflection and understanding. By acknowledging personal setbacks and using them as opportunities for growth, individuals can achieve profound self-discovery and transformation. This process requires asking difficult questions about one's beliefs, values, and resources, ultimately leading to a more authentic and impactful life. [02:18]

"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor." (Galatians 6:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been avoiding self-examination? How can you begin to confront this area with honesty and openness today?


Day 2: The Danger of Self-Deception
Self-deception is a pervasive issue that distorts reality to fit our desired self-image. This tendency prevents individuals from living in truth and hinders their ability to make a meaningful impact on the world. Ignatius of Loyola's teachings highlight the importance of recognizing and overcoming self-deception as a crucial step in spiritual growth. By acknowledging the ways in which we deceive ourselves, we can begin to live more authentically and align our lives with truth. This process requires courage and a willingness to face uncomfortable truths, ultimately leading to greater freedom and impact. [06:07]

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'" (Jeremiah 17:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a recent situation where you may have distorted reality to fit your self-image. How can you seek God's truth in this area and begin to live more authentically?


Day 3: Living in Truth with God's Help
True freedom and the ability to impact the world come from living in truth, which only God can fully reveal. Engaging in self-examination with God's guidance allows individuals to see their hidden sins and align their lives with His truth. Ignatius of Loyola invites us to practice self-examination in an atmosphere of truth and grace, reflecting on personal weaknesses and integrating our value systems into our lives. By doing so, we can see God's presence in our daily lives and make decisions that align with His truth, leading to authentic impact. [07:07]

"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." (Psalm 86:11, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you invite God into your daily practice of self-examination? How might this change your understanding of your hidden sins and lead to greater alignment with His truth?


Day 4: Integrating Values into Daily Life
Articulating a value system is not enough; individuals must integrate these values into their daily lives. This involves reflecting on personal weaknesses, respecting others, and making decisions aligned with one's values. Ignatius of Loyola's teachings emphasize the importance of this integration for authentic impact. By aligning daily actions with core values, individuals can live more authentically and make a meaningful difference in the world. This process requires intentionality and a commitment to living in truth, ultimately leading to a more impactful and fulfilling life. [08:40]

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." (Proverbs 10:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific value you hold that is not fully integrated into your daily life? How can you begin to align your actions with this value today?


Day 5: Daily Reflection and Decision-Making
Regular self-reflection is essential for seeing God's presence in our lives and understanding our hidden sins. By considering our choices and making decisions aligned with our values, we can impact the world authentically and meaningfully. Ignatius of Loyola's teachings encourage individuals to engage in daily reflection, tuning out distractions to focus on self-examination and decision-making. This practice allows individuals to live more intentionally and align their lives with God's truth, ultimately leading to a more impactful and fulfilling life. [09:43]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: Set aside time today for self-reflection. What distractions do you need to tune out to focus on aligning your decisions with your values? How can this practice lead to a more authentic impact on the world?

Quotes


if i want to be able to impact the world around me i need to have a realistic view of what that world actually consists of and that actually begins with a realistic understanding of myself i must become deeply self-aware i must be willing to examine myself rigorously and very few people have ever done this or passed more help along to other people more than ignatius of loyola [00:40:14]

only by asking asking and answering these questions does one develop the capacity to make an impact in life so let's think for a few moments about what does it take to have an honest appraisal of myself and my life who i am who i want to be and what gets in the way [02:28:14]

and he talks about how nations are very capable of this how in 1930s great britain the leadership viewed adolf hitler as a reasonable man because they wanted to view adolf hitler as a reasonable man they did not want to face up to what it would take to combat him if he wasn't reasonable and of course he was not [03:15:76]

we close our minds to reality we do not want to be real a mother sees clear signs that her son is on drugs but closes her eyes it would hurt too much to know a husband shuts out clear signals his wife is having an affair it would hurt too much to know getting older a teacher closes his mind to signals from students that his lectures are rambling misadventures in boredom it would hurt too much to know [04:38:08]

what makes self-deception so hard to overcome is we never consciously set out to deceive ourselves a liar may get up in the morning and say i'm going to lie to my wife today but nobody ever says i think i will lie to myself today this is the double treachery of self-deception first we deceive ourselves and then we convince ourselves that we are not deceiving ourselves [05:26:48]

and scripture teaches that at the core of this is a problem of sin that we don't want to know ourselves as we actually are and so masters of the spiritual life invite us into the practice of self-examination with god's help in an atmosphere of truth and grace [06:49:84]

john calvin and ignatius loyola incorporated ongoing self-assessment into the practice of their followers in fact the steadfast focus on performance and results that this habit produces explains why the institution those two men founded the calvinist church and the jesuit order came to dominate europe within 30 years [07:31:52]

the ability to reflect systematically on personal weaknesses especially those manifested as habitual tendency the bible talks in one place about be careful of the root of bitterness certain sins get rooted in me the root of the need for approval and depressing other people is one of my rooted or habitual sins to get very clear on this is a key part of self-awareness [08:05:12]

anybody can claim a value system but i think of a leader who is great at articulating vision but then abuses of power and the misuse of women became a horrible reality because that value system was not integrated into a life profound respect for other people and for all creation appreciation of oneself as loved and important [08:43:36]

the ability to tune out everyday distractions in order to reflect and the habit of doing so daily the 10th step in the 12 steps involves continuing to take personal inventory and when wronged promptly admitted and then finally a method for considering choices and making decision and ignatius was great at this [09:18:24]

to invite god to show us the truth about ourselves to reveal to us what the psalmist calls our hidden sins that is a central gift for people who want to impact the world as it is and that's you and that's me make today count [10:45:19]

thanks for joining us here at become new dot me if you'd like to receive the daily emails that go along with each video let us know at becomenew.me at gmail.com or if you want prayer you can text us at 855-888-0444 [11:05:19]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Sep 13, 2022. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?