August 12 – Living from the True Self
The True Self is who you are in God and who God is in you. You can never lose your True Self; you can only fail to realize it. Richard Rohr
Gregg’s Reflection
When I cut off my hair and beard to go to work for the family heavy equipment business, I knew I wouldn’t fit in. So I put on a mask and kept it on for 25 years. It was my false self.
People-pleasing traps us in the False Self, a mask we wear to be accepted or admired. But beneath that mask, God has given us a True Self—a unique reflection of divine love. When we live from this place, our worth no longer depends on the approval of others but rests in God’s delight in us.
The journey of faith is not about creating a self we think others will love, but about uncovering the Self God has already made in love. Living from this place is freedom: we no longer strive to win approval but instead embody the love, peace, and joy that flow from God within us.
Scripture
So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.
Genesis 1:27
You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self… and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22, 24
Ancient Quotes
The soul that is at peace with itself is one with God.
Meister Eckhart, Sermons and Treatises, Vol. 1, p. 84
Modern Quotes
The True Self is who you are in God and who God is in you. You can never lose your True Self; you can only fail to realize it.
Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamond, p. 13
Your True Self is not something to construct, but something to uncover.
James Finley, Merton’s Palace of Nowhere, p. 42
Journaling Prompts:
- Where in your life are you tempted to wear a mask to gain approval?
- How do you sense God calling you to live more fully from your True Self?
- What practices help you rest in the truth that your worth comes from God alone?
- Recall a time you felt free, authentic, and unmasked—what was different in that moment?
People pleasing is especially damaging to Pastors. What will please one person will displease another, making it impossible to please everyone. It will also prevent true discipleship, which requires challenging people to grow up and grow deeper. Contemplate how to move beyond people pleasing.
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 32 Reflection: People-Pleasing