Climb the mountain so that you can see the world, not so that the world can see you.
Pride is the petri dish where other sins grow. Learn to recognize it, repent of it, and realize where it lurks in your heart. Understand that even low self-esteem, depressive thoughts, and introverted shyness partner with pride.
Then learn what humility looks like, even on top of a mountain. Learn to walk into a room and say "There you are!" instead of "Here I am!" Instill habits and rituals into your life, gather friends around you, engage in study of God and his Word that centers you not pessimistically, not optimistically, but realistically.
I'm an unworthy sinner who deserves God's wrath, yet his mercy reaches me and promises that I'm his privileged, forgiven and equipped child who shines like a star. Angels rejoice over me!
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:5,6)
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, it's hard to be humble. I need to control things, get on top of them, be strong and move up the ladder. I need to manipulate people, make myself so needy that people notice me, order people around and demonstrate my superiority in both strong and subtle gestures. You simply want me to need you. Forgive me for replacing you with everything my self-glorifying heart thinks I need. Remind me of your humiliation. How low. How painful. How submissive to the Father. Save me from myself. Show me the path of humility and grace. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Slow down, please. Don't rush through these meditations as if they're a pill you just wash down and it's supposed to do some magic work without you even noticing. God isn't for you to download. But for you to delight. He wants your quality time. Do you have that special place and time to focus on him each day? For most people, it must be at the beginning of the day before things get busy and they're less in control of their schedule. Give God that quiet, quality time and when you're more in tune with each other, just watch what happens each day.
Read 1 Peter 5:5-11. Humility helps with relationships, anxiety, prayer, self-control, resisting the devil's powerful temptations, suffering, resilience and hope. Choose one of these and pray about it using the PRAY acronym.
- Praise (tell God what you appreciate about him)
- Repent (tell God about your sins, trust in his promises of forgiveness)
- Ask (go ahead, think big, or focus on a small detail, God wants to hear it all)
- Yield (talk to God about the next step after you say "Amen," how you want faith to lead the way, how you are willing to be part of his answer and see it develop for your good)
Daron Lindemann
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