Lately, I’ve been thinking about the work we all need to do on ourselves.
So often, we focus on what someone else needs to change. And while it’s true that others may have their own growth to do, we sometimes overlook a powerful truth: real change often begins within us.
We can’t always control what happens to us, but we are fully responsible for how we respond. We are responsible for our healing, our triggers, our growth, and our transformation.
The truth is, we are all a work in progress — and that progress doesn’t end. It is a lifelong journey. As it says in Epistle to the Philippians 1:6, God, who began a good work in us, is faithful to complete it. From moment to moment, He is shaping us — refining, stretching, pruning, and growing us. Teaching us to forgive. To show compassion. To walk in humility. To become better so we can do better.
The work always begins when we look in the mirror.
When we honestly examine ourselves — our reactions, our patterns, our wounds — we begin to see what needs to change. And often, the changes we make within ourselves shift our entire situation. They can change our relationships, our environment, or at the very least, our perspective. And what we cannot change on our own, God can work through us to transform.
We often ask, “When will things change?”
But things begin to change when we change.
Growth is not easy. It requires digging deep. It means confronting uncomfortable emotions. It means acknowledging past pain and recognizing the triggers we carry. It means admitting that we may need to think differently, respond differently, or even seek help. Sometimes that help comes through prayer and surrender. Sometimes it comes through therapy and intentional reflection. Often, it’s both.
Interestingly, the red flags we notice in others can become mirrors. When we see someone avoiding their inner work, it can prompt us to ask: Am I doing mine?
Self-work is not about blame. It’s about responsibility. It’s about recognizing not only what we are carrying internally, but also how it affects the people around us.
Instead of constantly looking outward, let’s start inward.
This doesn’t mean others don’t need to change. It simply means we take ownership of our part. And sometimes, when we do our work faithfully and consistently, it inspires others to begin theirs.
We are all a work in progress.
And that’s not a weakness — it’s grace in motion.
Elevate Within 