Pride and self-centeredness are offenses to God and poison one’s heart. These traits are particularly offensive when found among believers in the Body of Christ.
As you are aware, we had no part in the craftsmanship and creation of mankind. It is our Sovereign God who imparted gifts and talents on every one of us according to His Wisdom and Will. In spite of this, we often take credit for the success (never the failure) of the gifts, talents, and opportunities conferred upon us by God and forget that the glory and success of our endeavors are for God’s credit. This begets the question “Do we use our divine labor and abilities for the glory of God or for the glory of self?”
We cannot be so brazen to only consult with God in times of need or convenience. How many times have we been guilty of running to God out of fear and not out of love when our sins have been exposed or when tribulation seems nigh?
It is important to note that as our enlightenment of the Word increases, God will begin to impose disciplines and sanctions upon us to purge us from the hidden faults He would have graciously tolerated before. He begins to expose our vanities for what they are and sometimes takes away the very thing we find pleasure in boasting of.
The need for our flesh to see itself exalted and our desire for honour, praise, and recognition among men always seeks to raise us up above God. As a result, we should be cautious not to let our love for things and acknowledgments override our love for Christ. Christ must always be exalted because ALL the glory belongs to Him. It is God Who is at work in us and we are His vessels, messengers, and witnesses here on Earth.
Do not tie your sense of worth to things and achievements because your sense of worth is tied to who you are in Christ. The most vital thing about a man is not what he does but who he is. The holy man makes his work holy not the other way around.
Nowadays, many can be found promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ by using their egoism to act spiritual. Any time you find yourself boasting, it is evidence that you are pleased with the high opinion you hold of yourSELF. Anytime you find yourself looking down on others, it is evidence that you have not looked up to see the God that sits high above you. Anytime you find yourself fault-finding, it is evidence that you think yourself above reproof and cannot see the speck rooted in your own eye.
Do not delude yourself into thinking that you have arrived, for, in the kingdom of heaven, weak things become mighty and mighty things prove to be futile. The triumphant Christian neither exalts nor demotes himself. He knows that Christ dwells where his ego was formerly and the entire spectrum of his interests, has shifted from self to Christ. The end goal of all his endeavors and labours is to bring glory to God.
It is not God’s intention for us to remain babes in Christ but through the edification of His Word and the inner workings of the Holy Spirit that we will mature both in spirit and body. As you go about your day-to-day activities remember that God resists the proud and raises up the humble. If you desire to be risen up, do not feed your life with the dysfunctions of pride and self-centeredness. Rise above it in Christ!
SCRIPTURES:
Proverbs 16:18
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
1 Corinthians 10:12
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”
QUOTE:
“One thing alone, dear Lord, I dread to have a secret spot that separates my soul from Thee, and yet to know it not.” – Frederick Faber
PRAYER: Lord, we repent of our sins today and ask that you uproot every spirit of pride and self-centeredness in our lives. We exalt you and honor you and accept the promotion of your will through our vessels. Amen!
