“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8
M. Robert Mulholland writes that there are two fundamental ways of being in the world: trusting in ourselves or trusting in God. It sounds simple enough – until we recognize how deeply our “false self” is woven into even our most faithful efforts.
The false self is that part of us that wants to play God in our own lives. It fears losing control, craves being right and valued, and longs to be seen as competent or successful. Our self-reliant living doesn’t always look sinful on the surface. Sometimes it appears religious, responsible, even admirable. But underneath, the false self operates from fear, not trust.
The false self is fearful, protective, possessive, manipulative, indulgent, and self-promoting. It constructs its own towers of identity – built from achievement, possessions, relationships, or even ministry itself. None of these things are bad, but they cannot bear the weight of who we are meant to be. When we root our identity in anything other than God, we become restless and defensive, grasping for security that never satisfies.
This truth is uncomfortably close to those who serve in the church. Sometimes, our work for God can quietly become a way of holding on to control or earning approval. Yet the Spirit’s work is gentler – inviting surrender, not striving; transformation, not performance.
I find this invitation both humbling and hopeful. It calls us to let God reach beneath our practiced strength – to the anxious, self-protective places within us – and draw us back to the center of divine love. The deeper journey is not about trying harder to be holy but about releasing the illusion that we can manage our way into Christlikeness. Transformation begins when we allow God to love us where we are, not as we wish to be.
As we lead, serve, and love in our communities, may we remember that authenticity in Christ grows not from perfection but from surrender. The false self builds cities to secure its name; the true self abides by the living stream, trusting the One who gives life.
