Shock and Awe

S
(Romans 8:19) For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing [literally, uncovering or unveiling] of the children of God ...

O
There is perhaps no greater contrast, no wider continuum in all creation than that gap between who we currently are--hidden by all of our conflicts with our sin nature--and who we are once God reveals (uncovers) us apart from our besetting sins. In the context of these verses, the Holy Spirit (through Paul) reveals that our true selves are mostly hidden under a veil. So, if our better deeds and thoughts fail to fully disclose the image of God's goodness, how much more must our deliberate sins fall short of and hide God's glory (Romans 3:23; 6:23)?

A (Personal)
What a mystery it is that God would love us so! Knowing then that I don't fully appreciate my or others' goodnesses, I should remember, too, that our virtues are also hidden from a world that "loves darkness more than light" (John 1:1-18; 3:16-21). Nonetheless, that is not a sufficient reason for being cowardly covert about sharing the Gospel with others. The Day is coming when all will be uncovered: all corruption will be swept away. In that Day, I anticipate that we'll once again look into the mirror of God's Word, but really "see" ourselves for the first time. With shock and delightful awe we'll each ask, "Lord, is it I?"

A (Psychological)
Self Actualization was Alfred Adler's term for the goal of our psychological maturation as we (if we) progress from an initial state of inferiority to a psychologically mature or "superior" state. Epston and White created within their Narrative Therapy the notion of deconstructing the dominant, destructive stories that define our lives for the sake of reconstructing better, more healthy personal narratives. In fact, behind many therapeutic models lies the assumption that we can change, improve, be done with the behaviors, beliefs, and emotions that impair our psychological perspective and relational responses. We seem hardwired for hoping to become the best we can be. Psychology seems driven to codify these goals and then pave a universal path towards that perfect identity. It's a drive that's as old as families and societies. The unique advantage in the Trinitarian model--Christianity--is the divine incarnation that transcends both worlds and carries us hopeless, resistant ones onto goals beyond what we could discover by ourselves with our propensity for continually falling short of God's glory.

P
Savior, thank You for Your Word. You were right in calling it the Perfect Law of Liberty (James 1:24,25). I see myself more clearly as I learn more of who You really are. I know that here on this side of Heaven my vision remains weak at best--as though I were viewing You through a film-covered window (1 Corinthians 13:12). But thankfully, day by day and obedience by obedience, my eyesight improves in degrees that were unimaginable before I trusted You (Proverbs 4:18-23; Revelation 3:17-22). And as I see You more clearly, I see myself more clearly, too. I can't wait to see--to fully see--what You had in mind.