From the Pastor's Corner - Being Our Best Selves

At a recent electronic gathering of local pastors, we ended by asking each other how could we pray for one another. The request that stuck out to me was that we may all "step into being our best selves." That prompted me to think, what exactly does that entail? Does it mean perfection, being flawless? Does it mean never making a mistake? What does it mean to be our "best self"?

We are human, and even as scripture says to be perfect as our God in Heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48), the surrounding context lends depth and added nuance to that instruction. The word that has been so often translated as "perfect" in this verse has been translated more frequently in other sections of the Bible as "mature" or "whole" or "complete". In other words, be your most mature, whole, complete, honest self. Step into being your best self.

In times of stress, we naturally draw in, seal up the fortress of our mind, barricade our emotional and spiritual ramparts, and ready for a siege. In times of stress we become defensive, and we cannot be our best self when holed up inside. Stress causes adrenaline to infuse our entire self, but it is when we are aware of this stress-response in ourselves when we can begin to delve into the work of becoming known to our best self.

In Star Wars, a master in the ways of the Force will bring the young learner - apprentice, youngling, etc - to a place where they can face their deepest fears, where they can face their personal inner monster and learn from their most vulnerable self. In facing this inner demon however many times it takes, the learner can step onto the path of becoming their best self because they know who they are, both the traits they admire and the ones they may not. These are not necessarily strengths and weaknesses, positives and negatives, they are just aspects of the self, and in knowing them and how these motivate and interact with each other, we can each, in humility, become our best self.

My wish for you is that you may embark on a journey of discovery - who are you at your core self, how does that self influence how you express yourself in your environment, and can you use that knowledge to understand your best self that you may become whole and complete?

I love you all
Be safe and healthy
~Rev. Andrea Holroyd