2 Corinthians 13:5 — “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”
Psalm 119:59-60 — “I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”
Galatians 5:22-23 — “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Christian Introspection is the art of spiritual self-examination. Introspection during Lent means we not only examine ourselves for sins, known or unknown, which keep us away from Jesus; but also to “generation encouragement and delight,” according to author and blogger Tim Challies (https://www.challies.com/articles/the-duty-of-introspection/).
Too often we think introspection is for the introverts. Those, like me, who love to be alone, who love self-reflection and contemplation as a follower of Jesus. But introspection is for all people and it has multiple purposes. The two mentioned above by Challies include the disciplines of confession and celebration. It is not only confession, repentance and self-denial that should occur during Lent but rejoicing, praising and celebrating what God is doing in our lives.
In the passages above, Paul and David, the Psalmist, includes moments of introspection as they speak to the church, and the Lord, about the importance of examining ourselves, considering our ways, and striving to be full of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in order to become more like Jesus. In addition, “As Christians, we are sure of our standard of comparison. We compare ourselves to Jesus Christ, for “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). He is our standard. He is our measure. He is our criterion,” Challies writes.
Why is self-examination important? So we might be more like Jesus, give glory to God, and spread his Gospel to the world, just to name a few reasons. We are made in God’s image and are to reflect his image to all we meet. Now I often fail in this endeavor, I fail in this attempt more often than I’d like to admit. But the point is the journey, the process is to walk with Jesus and allow him to continue doing a work in you by his Holy Spirit for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Introspection can look like moments of silence, prayer, journaling or worship. It can be conducted in solitude or in a crowd. Introspection is nothing more than putting on Christ and focusing on things above. Allowing him to mold and shape us into the people he has called and created us to become is the goal.
“O Lord God, as I sit and look out upon your creation, I am thankful for this moment of introspection, of spiritual self-reflection when I intentionally seek your face and focus upon your love. I thank you Lord for rescuing me from the power of sin for a life to be lived with you. Come now, Holy Spirit, bless me, save me, renew me by your grace. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen