Introspection Is Seldom Painless But Always Beneficial

2 Corinthians 13:5: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test?"


I have always said that introspection is seldom painless but always beneficial. When we peel away the exterior facade to peer into the true person within, we then are getting to the place where our true identity is found. And whereas we might be apt to present ourselves as moral, good people, who are we when we look deep within ourselves? Do we find a person who, though not perfect, is surrendered to Christ as Lord and is following Him in obedience? Do we find a person with sinister intent to assert his own quest for lordship above all other persons and things?

The Apostle Paul warns us of the importance of examining ourselves to see "whether you are in the faith." For Paul, this involves a testing. Whereas Paul did not explicitly say what the testing is, the following verse suggests a holding fast to allegiance to Christ even in the midst of challenge and difficulty. I often have said that true character is revealed in times of tribulation and temptation. Who you are under those difficult circumstances is a good indicator of who you really are. Particularly, when you face those situations, are you steadfast in your loyalty to your Master and Savior? Do you capitulate to the circumstances that come your way? Do you sense the convicting power of the Lord and do you respond with repentance and resolution to do what is pleasing to the Lord? Or do you enjoy the way that you respond selfishly to the situation and have no intent of changing your response, because in reality it's your own lordship that you are pursuing.

These are not easy questions to answer, but they are of utmost importance, for we do not want to find ourselves before a Holy God one day unable to present ourselves as the beneficiaries of God's grace through Jesus Christ. Test yourself through introspection. Though this is likely not to be a pain-free experience, it is the best thing that you can do to determine who you really are.