Man in the Mirror: Introduction to Spiritual Formation
Unfortunately, this is not a blog post about Michael Jackson and his hit single, “Man in the Mirror.” I will say, though, that as a boy growing up in the South, I often wondered if the “King of Pop” was comfortable in his own skin. Did the man he saw in the mirror receive praise from man, yet a different reaction from Heaven? This leads me to a deeper and personal question. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see the reputation that man has given you, or do you see the work Christ has begun in you? Do you see the labels people have placed on you, or do you see the evidence of the Holy Spirit taking shape in your life? When you look into a mirror you see a reflection because light bounces off the mirror and travels into your eyes. A mirror does not create who you are, yet it reflects the image of the person standing before it. When people look at your life, do they see the reputation you strive to build, or do they see the work Christ is doing within you?
As a former collegiate athlete, I still remember carrying the weight of feeling like my life revolved around my performance. Was I achieving personal records? School records? Would my name be etched in history, or would I simply become another pair of spikes running circles around a track? Unfortunately, my ability to run in circles followed me into my spiritual and personal life as well. As cliché as it may sound, I was indeed spiraling throughout my young adult years because I desperately wanted to perform for my peers and mentors. I wandered into bars and clubs searching for belonging because, after all, who doesn't desire to be loved? If I received that love by drinking to the point that I couldn't even remember the names of the people I was trying to impress, it didn't seem to matter. For a moment, I felt accepted. My company was desired. I belonged. I regret to even think back on the misogynistic banter I would have with women while in college. Devaluing women so I can place myself above them. Simply believing if she didn’t believe in herself, that would give her every reason to believe in me instead. This was the hardest season of my life to look in the mirror. I knew God was calling me higher, yet I struggled to distance myself from a world where many of my closest friends resided. What happens when the people whose acceptance we desire are connected to the very things God is calling us to leave behind?
Honestly speaking, having a “good reputation” in the eyes of men is overrated. Constantly shaping your life around people who will eventually find something else to criticize is exhausting, and quite frankly, it is not life-giving. You can spend your entire life trying to earn the approval of others and still find yourself falling short of their expectations. So, what if the goal was never to be transformed in the likeness of man, rather to be transformed in the likeness of Christ? Quick question: Have you ever heard of spiritual formation? If not, consider this a quick crash course. Our sinful nature affects every one of us, yet we often convince ourselves that, deep down, we are inherently good. Scripture challenges that assumption by revealing our need for a Savior. Sin distorts our desires, our relationships, and even the way we see ourselves. The truth is that sin nature is cancerous and all of God’s people are in remission due to Jesus’ radiant love he displayed on the cross. Jesus then would leave the Holy Spirit as our counselor to form the people of God in a new way, a way that the world would consider countercultural. Now, I want to clarify something about the cancer analogy I used. I am not suggesting that cancer and sin are identical, nor am I suggesting that someone chooses to have cancer in the same way we can knowingly choose to participate in sin. Rather, I am using this analogy to illustrate the presence and reach of sin in the human condition. Sin affects every one of us, often in ways we fail to recognize, and we cannot overcome our need for redemption through our own efforts. But this is where the miraculous work of Jesus Christ comes into view. Through His sacrifice on the cross, His blood makes a way for us to be cleansed from sin and reconciled to the Father. Our standing before God is no longer dependent on our ability to appear righteous in the eyes of man, but on the righteousness and grace made available to us through Christ. To be formed by the Spirit is to be submissive to Christ. Having His will reflect through your life and every action. Do not mistake this for some type of behavioral modification to be in good standing with God. Jesus does not need a robot, he desires a bride. One that is obedient to his instruction and drawn to Him with an inexplicable adoration.
So then, what has your mirror reflected back at you lately? Have you seen a woman longing to finally be appreciated? Or a man desperate for the reputation he built to be acknowledged by his peers? Perhaps you've seen someone who has spent so much time trying to become what the world desires that they've lost sight of who God is calling them to be. If you're in a season where looking in the mirror fills your heart with dread, I encourage you to pray to the Spirit of God and ask Him to reveal the identity Christ has given you as His bride. Mirrors can reflect back at us hurtful images, but that is where the extent of the mirror’s power ends. Only the Creator possesses the power to save His masterpiece.
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