Does that mean living and being a true self? Am I authentic? Are you an authentic person? In general, when we’re talking about someone who is authentic, we mean that they are genuine, honest, and real. They know who they are. They don’t hide it. Many of us struggle, I think, with how to be genuine, holding parts of ourselves for fear of judgement.
Being authentic
We’ve got this deep need to be accepted by others. From what I’ve read, it seems one word pops up all the time in talking about being authentic, and that’s the word awareness. Authentic people are aware of themselves and the situations they’re in, plus they’re not quick to judge others. That’s because they say I’m not perfect and neither are you. We’ve all got flaws and imperfections, and we’re slow to judge others, which is a fairly healthy trait. This authentic self-acceptance allows you to be more compassionate and accepting of others as you are no longer looking for faults in others, because you know from the bottom of your heart that no one is perfect. It means you can both understand and control your own emotions. You can remain calm and levelheaded, no matter how difficult the situation, and that surely allows you to make better decisions about others.
People trust you, they feel comfortable around you. They know you are kind and sincere. You’ve got no hidden agendas. You mean what you say, you keep to your word, and people feel safe around you and they’re more comfortable sharing their vulnerable side with you.
So you respect everyone, even if you disagree with them. You know that everyone has something valuable to offer. We can learn from each other. You see the good in others, even when they can’t see it in themselves. Authentic people are often drawn to helping others because they understand what it feels like to need help themselves. The Bible has a revolutionary thought, and that is with Jesus Christ in your life, you will truly be an authentic person.
There are 2 verses in Ephesians chapter 4 that say, if you have heard his voice, that is Christ’s voice, throw off your old nature. Now your attitudes and thoughts must be constantly changing for the better. You must be a new and different person, holy and good, clothe yourselves with this new nature. That’s Ephesians 4:22-24.
Jesus is the standard for authenticity. He is the Son of God who gave his life on the cross to make us at peace with ourselves and with Him. And so we don’t have to worry about impressing others or hiding our nature because God made us in His own image. He comes to live with us and guide everything that we do. Base your self-esteem on God’s love for you instead of just your own love for yourself. Base it on an unchanging biblical truth, rather than other people’s changing opinions of you in different circumstances. Acknowledge that you can’t create value apart from God. He empowers you to do absolutely everything, and even your next breath is a gift from Him. So instead of trying to create your own feelings of self-worth, discover the purposes that God has for your life, and remember that God has made you in His own image, you’re valuable for who you are, not what you do. Know that God loves you completely and unconditionally, and you can neither earn nor lose His love. Ask God to make His purposes for your life clear and to help you fulfil them. Expect that when you’re pursuing God’s purposes for yourself, you’ll be free of the need to achieve or impress anyone or compete with others. So does it really matter what others think about you? You can’t please everyone. I prefer to take to heart this verse from the Bible. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, you know me better than anyone else. You know what exactly I’m going to say before I say it, and you created me in my mother’s womb, and sometimes I want to run and hide my true self. I don’t want people to see the real me, but Lord, you’re always with me wherever I go, loving me exactly as I am. Amen.
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