The Real Me

Everyone seems to be on a quest for themelves these days. We hear the message of "be true to yourself" all around us on TV, in the movies, and from our friends. Psychology urges us to look within and 'find ourselves', touting such introspection as the key to unlocking a happy life. Authenticity is held up as the ultimate virtue. And part of me agrees - I, too, want to be 'real'. But what in the world does that mean?

Part of me has a pessimistic view of self - I am fallen and sinful and mess up a ton. In which case being true to myself is a recipe for disaster. But then part of me takes a more optimistic view of self as a creation of God that he himself calls 'very good'. So maybe I can somehow dig back, and then be true to that self.

But then I wonder, if I take seriously the biblical claim that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor 5:17) it doesn't flip everything on its head. If being authentic doesn't mean being true to myself, but instead being true to Christ. In a sense, behaving completely unnaturally and loving my enemy is the most authentic thing I can do. Maybe my 'newness' isn't mere wishful thinking, but ontological fact.

I don't know how it all works, and this certainly isn't a complete thought on the subject. Just something I'm thinking through. I'd love anyone else's thoughts....