Dying to the Wrong Things

Leif Holmes

I recently came across an article by Geri Scazzerio, entitled, "Quit Dying to the Wrong Things." The article is quite lengthy, but the main idea is that we may sometimes, even with the best of intentions, quite literally "die to the wrong things." This includes things like:

1) Putting others' needs above our own to the detriment of our own well-being.

2) Prioritizing other people's expectations of us above our extended family, and even more importantly - above God.

3) Sacrificing for others at the expense of our own personal growth and enrichment.

These are just a few that she mentions that hit home for me among several others. I share this with you as a reminder that in order to bless, serve and love our Oikos well, we must be sure to shepherd ourselves well. One tool that I recommend to help is the Prayer of Examen. This can be a great reminder to check how you are doing with questions like, "What made me feel most alive this week?" and "What left me feeling the most drained?" As we give ourselves to open and honest self-reflection and self-evaluation, it allows the Spirit to work in us, bringing refreshment to our soul and transformation of our heart.

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2