Redeeming The Cracks
When our self-image takes a hit and our mirror gets cracked, it is tempting to feel so fragmented that we stop 
functioning. If we do, then condemnation seeps into those cracks and tries to kill our relationship with our Father and tries to steal our sense of worth and tries to destroy our self-government. Condemnation is one of the most lethal weapons the devil uses because it carries a mixture of truth and lie that is particularly toxic. Condemnation’s first punch is usually true, like “You know you messed up. You’re guilty.” However, it’s second punch is a poisonous lie like, “There is no way out, no healing for a cracked mirror. There is no way to redeem value that was lost and no restoration of broken boundaries.” Those lies should make you want to spit.
(This is the fourth excerpt from Kathy’s article “Seeing Us The Way God Sees Us—Part 2“ which was published in SEEC Magazine [Marty and Kathy’s ministry magazine]. More excerpts will be posted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Previous excerpts may be read by scrolling down this page.)
Marty & Kathy Gabler invite you to read their
articles in the latest issue of SEEC Magazine.
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Identity And Self-Image
So Let’s come to some insight on how to see ourselves as God does, starting with awareness of three basic needs common to all of us. These needs may adjust and morph as we mature, but they don’t go away. The first is identity. We all need a sense of self. Identity is who you see 
when you look in the mirror. Identity includes the way you process and think, the way you react to life, the things that you hold important and how you express your feelings. Part of your identity is in your “wiring” or personality. We are born with some combination of the four basic personalities, which I will label as lion, eagle, man and ox (Lance Wallnau). A “lion” is fast paced and has a drive to get results. An “eagle” is slow paced and gets up in the morning to get their task list perfectly completed at their own pace. The “man” personality is a fast paced, people-person whose identity includes relating with others. The “ox” person is slow paced and finds identity in facilitating others. The way we view relationships and the way we invest in relationships are all part of our identity. Since our identity is one side of a coin and self-image is the other, a healthy sense of identity yields a healthy self-image.
(This is the fourth excerpt from Kathy’s article “Seeing Us The Way God Sees Us” which was published in SEEC Magazine. Excerpts will be posted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Previous excerpts may be read by scrolling down this page.)
martygabler 