Let the verdict of my innocence come directly from you.
Let your eyes observe what is fair.
You have probed my heart.
You have confronted me at night. . . .
I have called on you because you answer me, O God.
Psalm 17:2–3, 6
Who are you? Do you know? When others laugh at what you do, make fun of you, or hate you, do you immediately look inside yourself to see if those mockers are right? Have you ever done that and felt like you just don’t know yourself? Some people call knowing who you are “self-awareness” and spend days, if not years, looking for it. Self-awareness isn’t a sin, but constantly chasing after it means your heart is set on the wrong thing.
When things go wrong and when people cut you down, you don’t need to find yourself but to find Jesus. Looking inward will only drag out the pain and dig you deeper into a pit, but if you look up to the source and goal of your faith (see Heb. 12:2), you’re gonna find freedom. Who you are on the inside isn’t as important as who you believe Jesus is. When you’ve messed up, your only hope is to run to Jesus and to depend totally on him. Learn his thoughts. Study his Word and run to his throne. Then you will be set free from your failure and your self-preoccupation, and you will be free to love the way Jesus loved.