Are You Getting in Your Own Way?
By Aaron D’Anthony Brown
Bible Reading:
“For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.” (Romans 7:18-19, CSB)
There’s a certain question we should ask ourselves every now and again: Am I getting in my own way?
When we don’t get the outcomes we want in life, blaming our circumstances and other people comes naturally enough. What doesn’t happen as frequently as it should is looking at the man in the mirror.
Recently, I remember talking to a fellow young man about our desire for marriage. Well, we went out to lunch with women from our church. Something we both wanted. For one reason or another, this getting-to-know-you experience led him to talk about an extremely embarrassing incident. Now, who in their right mind would share that on a first date?
Or take, for instance, a buddy of mine who is encountering deep financial strain. The more anyone tries to encourage him, the more he pushes back with a 'woe-is-me' attitude. He seems to want more negativity to fuel what he already exhibits.
These guys are not alone. I’ve battled with my own negative thinking and dwelling. Perhaps you, too, are sabotaging your own success. So, ask yourself, “Am I getting in my own way?”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
After you ask yourself this important question, the answer should be yes. If not, the following steps are especially for you.
Build self-awareness
The reason Paul was able to write those particular verses in Romans is that he developed some measure of self-awareness. He may not have completely understood why he behaved the way he did, aside from citing his sinful nature, but he understood something was wrong and wrote about it. He acknowledged the problem, and acknowledgment is the first step to finding a solution.
If you want to build self-awareness in your own life, spend some time pausing and reflecting. Yes, this does mean sitting with your thoughts and not your phone. Question yourself about why you do certain things and not others. The better you know yourself, the more you’ll be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Develop humility.
Humility is underrated and uncommon. So many of us think we have it, yet fail to recognize just how prideful we are. A good way to measure this virtue is to observe how you handle people who disagree with you. Not just the non-believers, but those people you perceive as less (or more) Christian than you. Have they ever proven you wrong about something? When did that last happen? Is it good that you haven’t been wrong since?
Have people around you to call you out.
Having agreement is nice, but if iron is to sharpen iron, then disagreement is essential. Encouraging one another is nice, but we can do so at the expense of others. Instead of seeking to appease those around us, let’s hold each other accountable and do our best to help others reflect Christ.
If you know you’re a sinner, act like it.
Some of us will openly call ourselves sinners in the abstract on any given Sunday, but on other days of the week, we justify our sinful behavior. People know that they practice poor communication, but don’t change it. Overeat but don’t change it. Say that they’re lazy, but don’t change it.
Does God take sin seriously? If you say yes, don’t say, "He made you that way." Recognize that He hates sin, and try your best to hate it as well. Hate the self-sabotage and do something righteous instead.
Further Reading (and Listening):
“Wanna Be Happy?” by Kirk Franklin
Galatians 5:17
James 1:14-15
Matthew 26:41
How did today’s devotional speak to you? Share your thoughts in the Crosswalk Devotional discussion.
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Get in touch with him at aarondanthony.com and check out his debut short story anthology Honey Dreams on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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