“The gospel isn’t something we respond to once in our life. We are to put our energies into loving and serving others, just like Jesus did for us (Philippians 2:3–8). As Christians, we are to be self-forgetful. This morbidity makes us focus all our energies on ourselves, making us self-centered - the opposite of what Christ called us to do when he taught us to put others before ourselves. When introspection pulls us down into despair, it’s no longer self-examination, but what Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls morbidity. We are meant to examine ourselves periodically, but if we are always doing it, always, as it were, putting our soul on a plate and dissecting it, that is introspection. He explained that there is a difference between self-examination, which is something we should do, and introspection, which is when self-examination becomes something we always do.
Mythoughts on you chords full#
There is a type of person who tends to be always analyzing himself, analyzing everything he does, and worrying about the possible effects of his actions, always harking back, always full of vain regrets. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote that overthinking and self-evaluation can actually encourage and contribute to spiritual depression. We dwell on our guilt over sin, shame over sins done to us, and regrets over what we wish had happened.
Bad self-evaluation keeps us focused on ourselves and the things we should have done, ought to do, and will do. When self-evaluation ends with ourselves instead of pointing us beyond ourselves, there’s a problem. Down into Despairīut sometimes we can go too far. Good self-evaluation will remind us of our need for a Savior and point us to the gospel of grace. Self-evaluation is good, especially when it helps us see the sin in our heart - when it helps us see the truth that we are fallen. The prophet in Lamentations wrote, “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!” (Lamentations 3:40). He also encouraged the same Corinthian church to test themselves to see if they were indeed in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). The apostle Paul encouraged such evaluation before taking Communion (1 Corinthians 11:28). Lies lose their power in the face of truth.” “God’s word has the power to change and transform us. We need to know the temptations we’re prone to give in to. We ought to know the idols that reign in our heart. We should keep aware of the ways we minimize our sin. We should have insight into ourselves, our motives, our choices, and our actions. Examine YourselfĪ certain amount of self-evaluation can be good. Unfortunately, the more I think, the more I despair. I think thoughts like if only, what if, or I should have. I recall the sorrows and heartaches of my past like a broken record. I dwell on mistakes and analyze them in great detail. I relive discussions and circumstances I’ve had. I consider things I should have said and should have done. If it were possible, I could think things to death. I ponder, muse, speculate, evaluate, and explore everything.
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