Transforming Self-Image Through God's Love and Worship

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we embarked on a journey to explore the concept of self-image and its profound impact on our lives. We began by considering how we perceive ourselves and what a healthy, life-giving self-image might look like. This journey is part of our Lenten walk, as we contemplate God's love and Jesus' sacrifice, preparing our hearts for Easter. A transformed life begins with the renewal of our minds, where our thoughts align with truth, nobility, and goodness.

Dallas Willard, in his book "Renovation of the Heart," warns us about the power of images and how they can lead us astray. Our self-image, especially if distorted by past experiences of rejection or abuse, can override reality and lead us into destructive patterns of thought. This is evident in a study where people who believed they were wearing fake sunglasses were more likely to lie, highlighting how self-perception can influence behavior.

The root of many struggles is self-rejection, which contradicts the sacred voice that calls us beloved. This self-rejection often stems from false images of God and ourselves. The solution is not merely positive thinking but a deeper understanding of God's nature and His love for us. Jesus came to correct our misconceptions, presenting "Father facts" that reveal God's care and love, as seen in nature and ultimately in Jesus' death.

Our worth is not based on achievements but on our connection to God. We have "bestowed worth," much like a house or an object gains value from its association with a significant person. As children of the King, we are all princes and princesses, and this understanding should shape how we view ourselves and others.

To cultivate a healthy self-image, we must immerse ourselves in God's Word, allowing it to transform our thoughts and lead us to worship. Worship is the most powerful force for restoring our whole being, as it arises from thinking rightly about God. By living in astonished reverence, noticing the good around us, and connecting it back to God, we can experience joy, gratitude, and contentment.

Key Takeaways:

- Our self-image profoundly affects our behavior and life choices. Distorted self-images, often rooted in past rejection or abuse, can lead us into destructive thought patterns. Recognizing and addressing these distortions is crucial for spiritual growth. [01:37]

- Self-rejection is a significant spiritual enemy, as it contradicts the truth that we are beloved by God. This rejection often leads us to seek worth in success, popularity, or power, which are ultimately unfulfilling. Understanding our worth in God's eyes is essential for overcoming self-rejection. [04:00]

- Jesus' life and death reveal the true nature of God and correct our misconceptions. By focusing on "Father facts," we can understand God's love and care, which are evident in creation and Jesus' sacrifice. This understanding helps us see our true worth. [05:09]

- Our worth is "bestowed" by God, not earned through achievements. Like a house gains value from its association with a significant person, our worth comes from being children of the King. This perspective should shape how we view ourselves and others. [06:38]

- Worship is the key to a transformed life. By dwelling on God's nature and His Word, we naturally enter into worship, which restores and sustains us. Living in astonished reverence, noticing the good around us, and connecting it back to God leads to joy and contentment. [10:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:34] - Exploring Self-Image
- [00:45] - The Journey Through Lent
- [01:11] - The Power of Images
- [01:37] - Distorted Self-Images
- [02:17] - The Sunglasses Study
- [03:17] - The Temptation of Self-Rejection
- [04:14] - Responding to Self-Rejection
- [05:09] - Jesus' Revelation of God
- [06:20] - Understanding Our Worth
- [07:17] - The Story of a Princess
- [08:22] - The Revolutionary Church
- [09:03] - Applying Our Minds to God
- [10:05] - The Power of Worship
- [11:11] - Living in Astonished Reverence

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
2. Hosea 4:6 - "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
3. Matthew 6:26-30 - "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does Dallas Willard describe the power of images in shaping our self-image? [01:11]
2. What was the outcome of the sunglasses study mentioned in the sermon, and what does it reveal about self-perception? [02:17]
3. How does the sermon describe the concept of "bestowed worth," and what analogy is used to explain it? [06:38]
4. What role does worship play in transforming our self-image according to the sermon? [10:05]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Romans 12:2 relate to the idea of renewing our minds to develop a healthy self-image? What might this renewal look like in practical terms?
2. In what ways does Hosea 4:6 connect to the sermon’s message about the dangers of self-rejection and false images of God? [04:54]
3. How do the "Father facts" presented by Jesus in Matthew 6:26-30 help correct misconceptions about God and our worth? [05:09]
4. The sermon mentions that self-rejection is a significant spiritual enemy. How does understanding our worth in God's eyes help combat this issue? [04:00]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current self-image. Are there any distorted images from past experiences that you need to address? How can you begin this process? [01:37]
2. Consider the concept of "bestowed worth." How does viewing yourself as a child of the King change your perspective on personal achievements and failures? [06:38]
3. Worship is described as a powerful force for restoring our whole being. What specific steps can you take to incorporate more worship into your daily routine? [10:05]
4. The sermon highlights the importance of living in astonished reverence. What are some everyday moments or aspects of creation that you can connect back to God to cultivate joy and gratitude? [11:11]
5. How can you apply the "Father facts" from Matthew 6:26-30 to your life, especially in moments of worry or self-doubt? [05:09]
6. Think about a time when you felt unworthy or rejected. How can the understanding of being beloved by God help you reframe that experience? [04:00]
7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with self-rejection. What practical steps can you take to replace those negative thoughts with the truth of God's love and acceptance? [03:17]

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Self-Image
Our self-image profoundly affects our behavior and life choices. Distorted self-images, often rooted in past rejection or abuse, can lead us into destructive thought patterns. Recognizing and addressing these distortions is crucial for spiritual growth. When we allow past experiences to define us, we may find ourselves trapped in cycles of negativity and self-doubt. However, by seeking healing and truth, we can begin to see ourselves as God sees us, which is essential for living a life aligned with His purpose. [01:37]

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 'Eat and drink!' he says to you, but his heart is not with you." (Proverbs 23:7, ESV)

Reflection: What past experiences have shaped your self-image, and how can you invite God into those areas for healing and transformation today?


Day 2: Overcoming Self-Rejection
Self-rejection is a significant spiritual enemy, as it contradicts the truth that we are beloved by God. This rejection often leads us to seek worth in success, popularity, or power, which are ultimately unfulfilling. Understanding our worth in God's eyes is essential for overcoming self-rejection. When we grasp that our value is not tied to worldly achievements but is inherent in our identity as God's children, we can begin to live with confidence and peace. [04:00]

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" (Isaiah 43:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you sought worth outside of God's love, and how can you realign your understanding of your value with His truth today?


Day 3: Jesus' Revelation of God's Love
Jesus' life and death reveal the true nature of God and correct our misconceptions. By focusing on "Father facts," we can understand God's love and care, which are evident in creation and Jesus' sacrifice. This understanding helps us see our true worth. Jesus came to show us the depth of God's love, challenging our false beliefs and inviting us into a relationship with a loving Father. [05:09]

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: How does Jesus' demonstration of God's love challenge your current understanding of God, and how can you embrace this truth more fully in your life?


Day 4: Bestowed Worth from God
Our worth is "bestowed" by God, not earned through achievements. Like a house gains value from its association with a significant person, our worth comes from being children of the King. This perspective should shape how we view ourselves and others. Recognizing that our value is inherent and not dependent on external validation allows us to live with freedom and grace. [06:38]

"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 7:6, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding your worth as bestowed by God change the way you view yourself and others, and how can you live out this truth today?


Day 5: The Transformative Power of Worship
Worship is the key to a transformed life. By dwelling on God's nature and His Word, we naturally enter into worship, which restores and sustains us. Living in astonished reverence, noticing the good around us, and connecting it back to God leads to joy and contentment. Worship shifts our focus from ourselves to God, allowing us to experience His presence and peace. [10:05]

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." (Psalm 95:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: What are some ways you can incorporate worship into your daily routine, and how might this practice transform your perspective and bring you closer to God?

Quotes

start today with this question what is your self-image how do you view yourself and what would you like your self-image to be what do you think would be healthy and life-giving we're on this journey together the fellowship of the withered hand as we walk through lent and we think about god and jesus and his love and his death on the cross and prepare for easter and we know that a transformed life a renovated heart begins by the renewing of our mind when our thoughts turn into direction that is true and noble and good [00:26:48]

images increase the danger of inadequate ideas they have the power to obsess and to hypnotize as well as to escape critical scrutiny we saw yesterday if you were with me for that one how masks have taken on uh an emotional charge that's enormous and they enable us to live in idolatry without ever naming it the image one has of oneself for example can override everything else and cause one to act in ways contrary to all reality and good sense [00:72:64]

those who have been rejected or abused as children or have lived with addicted or cold parents and i think about many of you that i know have distorted images of themselves and of reality these are constantly present to their minds and force them into the disastrous lifescape of thought where they must then live and group shared images lead to fads groupthink mob hysteria that once again has no regard to fact or reasonableness [01:09:20]

individuals who suffer from a poor image of themselves are caught up in self-rejection and have no defenses against group pressures they do not see themselves as object of god's love and they have no place to make a stand henry now noted success popularity and power can indeed present a great temptation but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of a much larger temptation of self-rejection [03:09:20]

we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable and i know those voices then success and popularity and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions to our desolate condition self-rejection now and continued is the greatest enemy of spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the beloved self-rejection dallas writes is ultimately our soul's reproach to god deriving from false images of himself and his world [03:21:68]

failure to know what god is really like and what his law requires destroys the soul ruins society leaves people in eternal ruin my people are destroyed by lack of knowledge that prophet hosea said and so jesus comes to correct our misinformation about life and about god he presents and i love this little phrase from dallas to he comes to present father facts [04:88:80]

look at the birds of the air your heavenly father feeds them look at the lilies of the field your heavenly father addresses them every moment in this world is filled with god's love and god's care and we see this in a thousand ways but particularly we see it in jesus and particularly we see it in the death of jesus now this is an amazing statement jesus death was understood by his early disciples to be an ultimate revelation of the father heart of god [05:20:88]

our worth ultimately is incalculable but it's not based on things that we can do or produce or achieve we have what uh philosopher nicholas walterstarf calls bestowed worth and the idea is being attached to something someone very great there's a house in virginia mount vernon and it is a place of great worth not because of its architecture or construction but because it was owned and lived in by george washington it has bestowed worth [06:83:68]

a princess a prince is just the child of the king and every human being is the child of a king and therefore we are all princes and we are all princesses we have bestowed worth and by the way this impacts deeply the way that we look at other people the image we should have in them this is why the church was so revolutionary this is why paul wrote to the church at colossae now in christ there is neither slave nor free greek nor jew [08:85:39]

we must apply our thinking to and with the word of god dallas writes we must thoughtfully take that word in dwell upon it do you do this ponder its meaning explore its implications especially as it relates to our lives what are we to do in the light of the facts of the gospel and the revelation of god and of human destiny contained in the bible and then particularly this on page 106 to bring the mind to dwell intelligently upon god [09:37:83]

to think of god as he is one cannot but lapse into worship and worship is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration in the in the whole person it puts into abandons every evil tendency in every dimension of the self it naturally arises from thinking rightly of god on the basis of revealed truth confirmed in experience we say flatly of this we say flatly worship is at once the overall character of the renovated thought life [09:92:00]

live in astonished reverence notice the good that is all around me that is all around you every leaf in nature the sun when it comes up and when it goes down every breath that fills my lungs it's all a gift any bite of food last night nancy and i went to an art gallery and the ability of human beings to create beauty is unbelievable and we went with good friends and then had dinner with them and what amazing gifts [11:56:72]

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