See full article at: http://careynieuwhof.com/2012/02/5-ways-to-build-your-integrity
Integrity is about more than just doing the right thing.
It’s about building the kind of character that can survive a crisis intact. In
the same way a building that has integrity can survive a storm, a life that has
integrity can do the same.
So how do you build integrity?
1. Be ruthlessly honest with yourself. Of all the lies we tell, the
ones we tell ourselves are the most deadly. Question your motives. Stop
justifying what you know to be wrong. Stop excusing yourself.
2. Seek wise counsel. We all have blind spots. It’s one thing to be
honest with yourself, but sometimes you and I are just blind to faults others
can see. Find three or four people who believe in you and ask them for feedback
on your life.
3. Decide to honor God, not please people. Doing the right thing is
almost never the easy thing, and sometimes it’s not the popular thing. Honoring
God is not the same as believing you are always right and everyone else is
wrong – it simply means you are going to live with a long view of what to do,
informed by scripture. It means enduring short term pain for longer term gain.
To avoid becoming arrogant or deluded, make sure you test what obedience looks
like for you not only against scripture and prayer, but also with your circle
of wise counsel (see above). They will see things you can’t see.
4. Be appropriately transparent. We’d all like to be something
we’re not. Admit your shortcomings. You don’t have to tell everyone what you’re
struggling with, but you need to tell someone. Part of being honest with
yourself is being honest with others. And as much as you might be afraid that
everyone will think less of you, living transparently and not pretending to be
someone you aren’t actually makes people think more of you. It’s
counter-intuitive. It’s also transformative.
5. Put yourself first when it comes to personal growth. I know that
sounds selfish, even unbibilical, but I’m not sure it is. Jesus prepared for
thirty years before ministering for three. And during those three years he
often disappeared to pray. You can only give what you’ve got. And he spent
whole seasons of his life receiving from God what he needed to give to the
world. Cancel some appointments. Tell the kids to wait. You need to build a
solid spiritual, emotional and relational foundation for your life. Pray. Open
the Bible (for you – not for anyone else pastors). Go for a run. Eat something
healthy. Go for dinner with a friend who gives you life. If your cup is empty,
how are you going to fill anyone else’s?
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
Pastor Daniel
Twitter: @PastorDaniel321
Email: PastorDaniel321@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment