Identifying Icebergs:
Finding and Fixing Areas of Spiritual Weakness
"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. . ."
- 2 Corinthians 13.5a (NLT)
"Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the Lord" - Lamentations 3.40 (NLT)
FINDING
1. Be honest-
"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8.32 (NLT)
- It is easy for us to lie to ourselves. We can distort our self image and make ourselves look better than we really are. One of the main keys of a spiritual inventory is to take an honest look at who we are.
2. Be transparent-
"People who cover their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy." Proverbs 28.13 (NLT)
- Many times sin continues in our lives because we hide it. We hide it from friends, family, the church, and sometimes even from legal authorities. A transparent lifestyle makes us more likely to curb sin.
3. Be careful-
"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour." 1 Peter 5.8 (NLT)
- As Christians, we should be constantly alert. Temptation rarely strikes in areas of our life where we are the strongest.
FIXING
1. Stop
"Come back your senses and stop sinning . . ." 1 Corinthians 15.34a (NLT)
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that the best way to eliminate problem behaviors is just to stop them. However, some are so ingrained that it is hard to go "cold turkey".
2. Encourage
"But encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you are hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Hebrews 3.13 (NIV)
- A great way to improve areas of personal weakness is to surround ourselves with Christian friends who will support our efforts to change.
3. Pray
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26.41 (NIV)
- While God may not answer that prayer to win the lottery, I firmly believe that He will answer a prayer to improve your spiritual life.
Take a few moments to try and identify areas of personal weakness and ways of overcoming them.
