Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] D. Wells here, and I have a question for you. Have you ever felt God calling you to do something bigger, but you're just unsure of where to start? I know many times, like myself, I felt that way. I felt like God's calling me and I'm like, where do I begin? How do I do this? What actions do I need to take? But at the same time, I'm like, God, are you, are you asking me, do you really want me to do what you just put my heart to do?
[00:00:25] Even though you put it in my heart and I see it, I feel it, but at the same time, can I do it? Am I capable of doing what it is that you want me to do? And sometimes it just kind of comes down to self awareness, self awareness, being self aware, we already know it, where we're capable of. But let's just get into it. Let's just dive into this topic because I think most of us can relate to self awareness and how it actually plays a crucial role in just fulfilling the purpose God has for our lives. And I know many times we feel God stirring up something on the inside of us, but there's a hesitation, that doubt, and even confusion, right? And I know, I've been there. I'm sure you've been there too, maybe once or twice. But it's, it's evident and it's just something that we need to do. And I know the interesting part is Studies show that 10 to 15% of people are actually self aware, despite 95% believe they are self aware, according to Tasha Urich's Harbor Business Review. And that is funny because sometimes we can have this perception about ourselves, but is it the actual and is it factual? But you know, what is self awareness? It's just that ability to understand your emotions, your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs and values, Right? And I mean, it's essentially knowing who you are and what you want and what you can do.
[00:02:01] And this means a lot of us might be missing out on the understanding of who we truly are and what God has placed within us.
[00:02:09] But there's good news, right? Self awareness is something that we can actually grow in. And today we're going to explore how to do that with God's guidance.
[00:02:20] Absolutely.
[00:02:21] Just recognizing the gifts God has given us.
[00:02:26] Isaiah or you reflect on this scripture, Isaiah 41:10.
[00:02:30] It's one. It's a promise from God.
[00:02:33] And he says, do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I'm your God. I will strengthen you with my. I will strengthen you with Help and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. And this, this reverse. This reverse. This verse just reminds us that we don't have to face life challenges alone. God is with us, especially when we feel unsure and inadequate.
[00:02:59] Now I know one of the hardest things for us to do is just to recognize the gifts God has given us. We know we have skills, we know we have strengths, we know we have talents. We know that we could get down if we need to. But oftentimes we're just hesitant to use them.
[00:03:16] Why is that?
[00:03:18] Well, it could be the fear of insecurity, it could be the doubt, it could be the limiting beliefs. Right?
[00:03:26] But 85% of people actually experience self doubt or imposter syndrome. And this study came from Gallup, but it just shows that we're not alone in feeling this way.
[00:03:40] But here's the good thing. God designed each of us uniquely with talents and gifts that deserve to be celebrated and used.
[00:03:49] That's why I love what David said in Psalm 139, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
[00:03:56] This means that your abilities are no accident.
[00:04:02] God put inside you something to be utilized, but it needs to be extracted. They are part of God's design for you.
[00:04:14] So here's a question to think about.
[00:04:17] What strengths has God given you and how can you start using them today?
[00:04:21] I mean, you might want to pause and pause this video and start jotting down some answers. Leave a comment below, but definitely pay attention to that question. Reflect on it.
[00:04:34] And one of the things I love just about, you know, one, one I love reading quotes because there's so much validity to them and it just kind of reassures like, man, we have so much power, we have so much within us, but at the same time it's just a reminder. And so when I think about this quote by John Maxwell, he says we must know ourselves to grow ourselves.
[00:05:02] In his term, you must know yourself to grow yourself and to grow and walk in the calling God has for us. We have to start with knowing ourselves, the strengths, the weaknesses, our passions.
[00:05:16] Because without knowing these, we can't truly grow. You're just going to be flip flopping and going wherever the wind blows, right? Whatever idea that comes up, you're going to, oh man, this is a good idea. Let me go after that. Oh, that's a good idea. Let me go after that. You're not going to stick to it. And if you don't stick to it, you're never going to know.
[00:05:37] And there's just going to be so many inconsistencies in your life. So if you do get those ideas, create a system, create an idea category and then prioritize it. Is this something to do now or is this something to do in the future?
[00:05:55] But we have to do that so we eliminate wasting time. And that's part of knowing who you are and knowing what to do. Because self awareness is more about than just identifying what we're good at or what we struggle with is it's also about understanding why we think and feel the way we do. And so when you go back to Dr. Tasha Urich's research, it suggests that self aware people have better life satisfaction, they make better decisions, and they even have healthy relationships.
[00:06:29] So growing the self awareness isn't just a nice to have, it's one of those essential things that we need for a fulfilling life.
[00:06:39] Now when you think about this scripture right here to Reflect on Proverbs 23:7 Bible tells us that our thoughts and our beliefs shape who we are.
[00:06:56] For as he thinks in his heart, so is He.
[00:07:00] For as he thinks in his heart, so is He. So understanding how we think and process the world is essential if we're going to live out our purpose fully. You know, God has given us the ability to think, reflect and grow. So let's use that to become more of who he actually created us to be. Let's understand one how here's the things that you might have failed at, neglected to do, or somebody told you that you weren't capable of. And so now all of a sudden you start believing this false truth.
[00:07:35] It's not even the truth actually, it's just false.
[00:07:40] Our past experiences actually shape how we see ourselves and the world around us.
[00:07:47] And often we might not even realize it. But the past hurts, the failures, the disappointments, they can actually create barriers in our mind.
[00:07:57] And we may even unconsciously carry these beliefs that don't even serve or align. That's with God's truth. You know, it has, this is a crazy thing. It has a power to make us think that we're unworthy and undeserving of obtaining a certain level of success.
[00:08:17] So what do we do? You end up sabotaging your own life based on this, on something that's not even real because you have these thoughts that don't even align with who you truly are.
[00:08:33] Here, here's you, here's the world, all this chaos, and here's God.
[00:08:42] And so you have to navigate this world to get to him.
[00:08:47] Dealing with Satan, dealing with these negative people and these thoughts, it's so much. But at the same time we, we just have to remember Romans 12:2, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
[00:09:05] That is this scripture right here just encourages one to renew our mind, forget about the world, because we have to renew our mind so that we can actually see things clearly and understand what God's will is for us.
[00:09:24] And that is to grow in self awareness.
[00:09:28] And in order to grow in self awareness, we have to be willing to examine those past beliefs and see how they might be holding us back.
[00:09:36] We need to ask those questions like what beliefs do I carry that might not be true?
[00:09:44] And that's, and it's going to take some time because you have to confront this stuff, right? You got to confront yourself with these past things that just held you back. Now how is, how is my past affecting my present decisions? And do I really want to be in a place where I'm healthy, where I'm actually more aware of what it is that I want to do?
[00:10:11] Just think about that for a second as you reflect on those questions.
[00:10:17] There was a study that came out of American Psychological association, but it's nothing new, but it just talked about, you know, how our negative thinking patterns are commonly the things are the common things that actually hold people back or hold us back from reaching our potential.
[00:10:35] That's nothing new.
[00:10:39] There comes a time when we have to believe in ourselves and believe and have faith in God that he can actually break those patterns, break those chains that calmly that, that bond us to the past.
[00:10:55] And that's why I love that scripture by, you know, just renewing our minds. Renewing our minds daily is the things that you read is what goes into your brain, your mind. That's why you really, you really have to protect with what you actually listen to and you watch.
[00:11:11] So take that action to step toward self awareness and growth. And remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you just knowing that to live God's purpose we have to take action.
[00:11:27] And that passage right there just reminds us that we can do all things through him who strengthens us. That includes breaking free of the limiting beliefs and stepping towards our calling.
[00:11:39] Now here are some, just some practical steps. Here's some practical steps that you could take right now to move towards self awareness and purpose.
[00:11:48] They're super simple. One, just try new things. Experiment with new activities that challenge you, that help you grow.
[00:11:56] Two, Find a mentor. Identify someone who's doing what you want to do, who you feel called or what you feel called to do. And learn from them. Right?
[00:12:07] Then also pray for guidance. Ask God to reveal your purpose and give you clarity on your next step.
[00:12:15] It's imperative.
[00:12:18] Now when you think about this, what are some, some small steps that you can actually take this week to align with God's calling?
[00:12:28] It is time to embrace God's vision for your life.
[00:12:32] And I want you to remember that self awareness is a journey, not a destination. God has a purpose for you and each step you take to know yourself brings you closer to living that purposefully that that purpose filled life.
[00:12:49] You got so much. You got so much in you.
[00:12:53] So let's take this.
[00:12:55] So let's take a moment right now just to pray.
[00:12:59] Dear Holy Father, we want to thank you for creating each of us with a unique purpose. We ask for your guidance as we work to understand ourselves better and embrace the gifts you've given us. Help us to break free from any limiting beliefs or doubts that hold us back.
[00:13:16] Strengthen us to live out the calling you've placed on our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
[00:13:24] Amen.
[00:13:26] I want to thank you all for watching this video.
[00:13:29] I hope, I hope that it has blessed you. Please like and subscribe and share it with someone who you might think needs this message and take that first step towards self awareness. This week.
[00:13:45] God has big plans for you. This is D. Wells. I'm out. Why not.
