It is a terrifying truth of human nature: we are incredibly prone to self-deception, and we are almost always the last ones to see our own flaws. We can easily spot the pride, selfishness, or anger in our spouses, coworkers, or friends, but we have an incredible capacity to justify and excuse those exact same traits in ourselves. We tell ourselves we are “passionate,” while calling others “angry.”
Because of this massive blind spot, we need God to reveal the hidden faults that our ego aggressively protects. We need the humility to realize that our perspective is flawed, and that we might be completely wrong, even when we feel entirely right.
This is why honest self-examination must be a daily habit, not a yearly event. When we invite God’s gentle but piercing light to show us the errors we cannot discern ourselves, we pull the weeds of resentment and pride before they can take over the garden of our hearts. Honesty uncovers the roots so grace can heal the soil.
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