Day 211- What's In A Name?

📖Daily Reading

 Mark 14

🎥 Video  

Join me on my morning walk as we rise and shine together by walking through the Bible daily and learn a practical applicable coaching nugget from the ultimate life coach - our creator (whatever that means to you). No judgement zone here, all are welcome, we are all on a spiritual journey because we are after all spiritual beings having a human experience.

 

📝 Reflection 

Mark 14: 37-38

 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

Often in the Bible people are given new names to represent their new identities in Christ or as those in close relationship with God. Simon is given the new name, Peter, but interestingly it is in addition to his original name. This is a little different than many other instances in the Bible and intentional. Sometimes he is referred to as Simon and sometimes just Peter and sometimes Simon Peter. The name Jesus gives him, Peter is from the Greek petros which means rock.

Peter is the rock upon which the church will be built. But Peter in his flesh aka Simon is bold, brash, passionate sometimes over speaks and over commits. Just before this scene in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him 3 times before the rooster crows twice. Peter says, no way, won’t happen, impossible, I would die before denying you!! Bold words that he will later eat as he hears the rooster crow - I bet this is where the term ‘eat crow’ came from. Actually I did a little recon and it is not, but … very similar and a useful catch phrase for this analogy.

We as humans in our flesh eat a lot of crow and we should be willing to! Our actions and our words catch us in the act of denying our willing spirit. That is ok, it is human and when we see it if we admit it and humble ourselves we can become like Peter more like a rock that something can be built upon. I think it is very interesting that Jesus in choosing the church’s founder kept the 2 names. I think this is to intentionally remind us in the church that we are each individually Simon Peter, and collectively, we have willing spirits but weak flesh.  We need to this reminder to help keep us humble and for us to lead by example and eat crow publicly and often. But unfortunately I think this message gets lost on many in the church and we are still fighting this battle between the ego and the willing spirit and often people see our egos being represented more that the Holy Spirit.

In the world of psychology and coaching there is some practical truth in using names and identities to help us understand ourselves. We can use this in a very a practical way. As a tool we can give ourselves new names and we can use this to move forward and transform. Now, you don’t have to do this publicly, this can just between you and yourself! The Bible is so cool, it confirms so much that we are learning in brain science! The truth and the way has been there for us all along, we can trust it. Names are important in our identity, and giving ourself a new name or even a few names can be powerful. Depending on what literature you read you can keep it simple and just give your ‘lower self’ or ‘survival ego self’ a name, you can give your ‘willing spirit’ or ‘higher limbic brain’ a name. When we personify parts of ourselves we can begin to detach but simultaneously incorporate or integrate it into ourselves in a healthier way. We can learn to see that we are not our behavior. Which can help us get out of the shame, punish, repeat cycle - which is self defeating. We can move in to a more empowering relationship with ourselves.

Depending on how you are wired and what works for you - you may want to give your ‘flesh self’ or ego a new name, for some naming the higher wiling spirit part of themselves works or you can do both like Jesus did with Simon Peter. Give it a try! We as humans don’t like change and even though we want to change our flesh is weak because it like certainty and it is attached to it’s identity and its way of being, even when it doesn’t serve us. It knows how to play that game! 

As humans we are always winning at the game we are playing! All of our behaviors came from a place of solving a problem for ourselves . We are not broken, or sinful, we just have maladaptive patterns that we get so attached to that we think it is who we are. Some like to refer to this as the voice of judgement and the voice of wisdom, a hero vs a villain. Whatever works for you. The Disney movie ‘Inside Out’ is a great representation of this concept.

Also, the book, “Boundaries for Your Soul”by Allison Cook, Phd and Kimberly Miller, MTh, LMFT is a great read to help you understand how you can differentiate and integrate all parts of yourself as you are on your journey to become who God is calling you to be.  I would love for you to share if you are willing how you might use this strategy and what names you might use. 

Confession, even though I understand how powerful this tool is and I have suggested it with many clients, it is not one I have fully engaged with myself. So I think I am going to try to put my money where my mouth is and use it more purposefully. I am working on some big changes myself and I can use all the extra help I can get in self leadership and reinforcement.

p.s.

So as I was thinking about this for myself - I am going to give my ‘future and higher self’ a name, a voice of wisdom. I am going to use ‘Phoebe’ for myself. Phoebe is a Greek name and it roughly translates to "bright" or "radiant" and relates to Phoebe's role as the goddess of intelligence. It also is the name of the new Flamingo Sculpture at the Tampa Airport. Phoebe is short for the long technical name of the Flamingo. The Flamingo is my spirit animal 🦩.  Which is I have a whole testimony around this. A story for another day. Anyway, this personifies all that I want to strive be for God’s glory and for the future generations that will come after me. Feel free to keep me accountable on this - I need it! Felecia has gotten me pretty far and I am so grateful for her, but it is time to level up even a little more, but Felecia will always keep me humble in her weakness I can be strong with God’s help. Also, the nickname for Phoebe and Felecia are also similar - Fefe. I am called this affectionately by many including all my nieces and nephews.

✍🏼Daily Journal Prompt 

So what would your higher self’s name be? Why? 

📖Tomorrows Reading

 Mark 16

Coaching Opportunity

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