I find my worth in Christ. By turning my gaze outward on Christ I find my inner true self. It’s a paradox. When I lose myself I find myself. I become my truest self as I behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Self-consciousness dissolves with self forgetfulness. My ego (self) becomes nothing as I turn outward and find infinite value and worth in Christ. By beholding the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I move from glory to glory. To be most myself, I need to focus on things outside myself, like Christ, worship music, or the people around me. Positive distractions that worship God shifting the focus outward include:
- Socializing
- Playing games
- Exercising
- Cooking
- Cleaning
- Listening to music
- Writing
- Doing arts and crafts
- Solving puzzles
- Doing things for other people
These turn our focus outward expressing our value and worth as we find a healthy self-esteem. Whatever we do we do all to the glory of God. In the worldly sense I’m nothing but valuable as a child of God. In Christ I have eternal significance as I die to self (ego). Evil is non-existence (nothing). Therefore, I forget evil self and turn my focus and attention on the good. The old self is put to death by starving it to death and not showing attention to it. My gaze is just before me.
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ~~ Proverbs 4:25
It’s Like riding a treadmill. To keep my balance I focus outward and right before me forward. When my focus is turned outward (not inward) on Christ I walk on water. Everything balances out. I love God above all else and my neighbor as myself. I take care of myself but this isn’t the focus. Christ is.