Vital Signs: Friday, September 13, 2024

Self Examination

“I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power. Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve often used the phrase, "move on and don’t look back." I think it’s important that we don’t stay stuck in the past, but rather use the past to examine where we are today. It’s not just about focusing on the future; it’s about asking where we are today. Paul challenged believers to examine and test themselves. One of the best examination questions is, “Am I living well?” If we are children of God, we are, first and foremost, loving. Another question is, “Are our motives pure?” We can do many nice things, but is our motivation just to look good or to manipulate someone? There are other solid examination questions: “What do I need?” “What am I missing?” “What am I learning?”

Today, may we examine ourselves to see if we are of the faith.