In this study we will examine the components of your inner-self and how those components control your choices, decision making and behavior. Everyone can see your behavior and the choices you make. Your inner-self is hidden from others and to some degree from you as well.
Many people know what they do but they may not know why they do it and could not correctly answer the question: ‘Why do I behave this way’. That is a question to consider.

Examining the components of the inner-self helps to identify the influence and control the inner-self has over choices, decisions and behavior. Understanding the influence of the inner-self on your choices, decisions and behavior gives you the choice of whether or not to overrule that automatic influence. Reflection helps you to understand your inner-self and what is going on beneath the surface.

The purpose of this study is:
1) to enable you to understand yourself;
2) to enable you to take control of your inner-self;
3) to enable you to make the choices that will lead to your success;
4) to enable you to make wise choices that exhibit the behavior Jesus Christ desires from you.

The goal of this study is to equip you to run your race strong and finish your race well! To God be the glory for what He alone will accomplish through you!

So far we have examined
Your meaningful experiences
Your decision-making history
Your track record with life roles
Your self-image
Your values
Your beliefs

Learning changes who we are and our aspirations; learning is an experience of identity. As you grow and develop, you learn about the identity others assign to you.
society’s definition of you can be wrong
society’s definition of you can be learned mistakenly
some people do not learn well and adopt dysfunctional beliefs about themselves

What does the Bible say?
You are uniquely designed and uniquely created by Jesus Christ. In all of history and in all the whole world Jesus Christ designed and created only one you. You have unique physical characteristics, strengths and limitations, abilities, talents, spiritual gifts. Jesus Christ designed a unique race for you to run, from the moment you receive Him as your Lord and Savior until you cross the finish line into His physical presence and complete His unique purpose for your life.

The growing in Jesus process is so important to your spiritual growth and cannot be avoided or hastened.
Attitudes
Attitudes are your personal rules for approaching life. Attitudes drive your actions and personal preferences. Attitudes are developed over time and are based on your self-image and meaningful experiences. How do you approach life?

What is your attitude about how to get along with others?

What is your attitude about prioritizing your day?

What is your attitude about making mistakes?

What is your attitude about family?

What is your attitude about alone time?

What is your attitude about work?

What is your attitude about church?

What is your attitude about God?

What is your attitude about servanthood?

What is your attitude about your current circumstances?

Would you say your attitude about yourself is self-affirming?

Would you say your attitude is hopeless or hopeful?

Would you say your attitude is helpless or helpful?

Examples of Attitudes

Job after losing all his children, possessions and health and hearing his friends accuse him-Job 13:
15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

Orpha 10th century BC after losing her husband -Ruth 1:
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Ruth 10th century BC after losing her husband -Ruth 1:
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Queen Esther 5th century BC after learning of the royal command to kill Jews-Esther 4
13Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

King Saul after learning about David -1 Samuel 18:
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him.
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.

David upon learning of King Saul’s death-2 Samuel 1:
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Mary’s attitude upon learning she will have a child by the Holy Spirit-Luke 1:
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her

John the Baptist’s attitude after learning that all men are coming to Jesus-John 3:
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

Paul’s attitude around 60 AD as Nero’s prisoner
Philippians 1:
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Questions for Reflection
1) Which one of these attitudes matters most to you?

2) Which one of these attitudes is the most difficult for you to understand?

3) Do you see an attitude in yourself that you want to change?

Hebrews 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let us run with patience the race He set before us, looking unto Jesus Christ,
Coach Patti