Sanctuary: Cultivating a Quiet LifeSample

Day #4: The Mirrors in Our Hands

The world loves to offer us a variety of manmade mirrors in an attempt to tell us who we are. Some of us may see our jobs as a reflection of our true selves, conflating what we do with who we are. Others of us may look to our spouses or our kids as a reflection of who we are.

Worldly “mirrors” provide a limited view of ourselves at best and a distorted view of ourselves at worst. But the word of God is also likened to a mirror, except that it is the only place where we will find a true reflection of who we really are (James 1:22-25). But we don’t turn to Scripture to learn more about ourselves. First and foremost, we turn to Scripture to learn more about God in Christ, and as we gaze on him, we are transformed into his image. We become more like Jesus.

This is what we learn in the sanctuary of God’s presence: we never find peace by focusing on ourselves. It’s only when we stop focusing on ourselves that we find the door to freedom.

This isn’t to say that it is somehow wrong for us to use a mirror for our normal get-ready routines. But we do want to become more cognizant of what we devote our gaze to, for we grow a quiet heart when we know where our true identity lies.

Friends, you are more than your job title. More than your achievements. More than your grade-point average. More than your marital status. More than your motherhood status. More than your bank account balance. More than your social-media influence. And more than your jeans size.

You are more than the worst thing you have ever done. And more than the best thing you have ever done. You are more than the worst thing that has ever been said about you. And more than the best thing that has ever been said about you. You are more than any label this world tries to put on you because you are not of this world; you are made for another world. If you believe in the risen Jesus as Lord, you are a child of the King. This is who you really are. And it all begins in the sanctuary of God’s presence.

Cultivate

If reading the Bible hasn’t been a daily part of your routine, try incorporating it into the natural rhythm of your day. If you’re not sure where to start, begin by reading a few proverbs or a psalm each day. And if you are already in the habit of reading the Bible each day, go one step further and write out the verse at the top of each daily devotion in your journal or notebook. When we write it, we remember it.