Before the VowEgzanp

Learning to Know Thyself

I remember the day I saw the Greek letters γνῶθι σεαυτόν, transliterated: gnōthi seautón or “Know Thyself.” I was attending my undergraduate institution at the time, walking through the iron gate, and thinking, “hmmm, when will I truly know thyself, Lord?”

God gives us the incredible opportunity to pursue Him, especially in an Esther season, and in return, He pursues us. As we embark on a journey of knowing the Lord in the midst of the unknown/transition, we in turn develop more into the people He wants us to be. He teaches us about ourselves and builds our confidence in Him.

My relationship with the Lord truly developed in 2017. I was in a place where I wanted to know God. Even though I accepted the Lord as my savior as a child, I did not have a burning passion to truly know Him until 2017.

At that time, I was in a transitional period. God was using experiences in my life to teach me more about Him and in turn, I learned more about myself. I moved to Charleston by myself and knew no one. God taught me the importance of trusting in Him. Even when nothing in life made sense, He taught me to keep my eyes focused on Him. Through Him, I would be able to conquer anything that came my way, by holding fast to His promises. The closer I drew to Him, the more I grew in my faith and also my understanding of His desires for my life. I started to study the characteristics that the Apostle Paul writes all followers of Christ should embody,

The Fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. “

Eugene Peterson eloquently states this version in the Message Bible, “He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”

God calls us to trust Him and keep Him at the center of our daily walk. When we hone in on Him, we will develop more and more into the people God calls us to be.

I am only 24, and I do not “Know Thyself” fully, and I probably never will. That is the beauty of personal development in Christ. I can say, however, I know my worth in Christ, and I can see the incredible changes I have made going into adulthood because of my relationship with Christ. I’m learning in my Esther season that the journey is far more precious than the destination. I am choosing every day to be a continuous student and follower of Christ. I am learning to invest in my relationships. I am leaning into the call of being a good steward of everything God gave me, including; time, relationships, money and material assets. As the years of my life progress, I will, with each passing day, develop into the woman God calls me to be.

Friend, my prayer is that you may also be able to say the same.