Pride – Performance – Possessions
These three words describe a significant challenge to my simple faith. I love it when people say wonderful things about me and tell me how wonderful a person I am. I love it when I do something very well and get noticed. I also love having lots of stuff to call my own. All three of these words are a strong challenge for space in my life. They can complicate my pursuit of God’s heart. They are very self-centered. The thing is, they are not all bad, but very little about them is positive. I can be proud of my family, but my family really belongs to the Lord. I can be proud of my performance, but without Him, I am nothing. I can be proud of my possession, but all I have belongs to Him. These three words destroy humility and service before the King of Kings. John challenges us to recognize the temporary nature of all of these. Check this out….
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15-17 NLT)
I really do love the Lord. I have cashed in all of my chips and placed all my bets on the Abundant Life that He promises and the Eternal Life to follow. I have made a decision to check my pride constantly, because it comes from a deceitful heart. I need His help keeping pride at bay. I perform every task, every activity for His honor and His glory and NOT my own. All I have belongs to Him. My material possessions are on loan from the Lord. I want to honor Him with how I spend my money. I must hold loosely to all my possessions. I’ve seen people lose all their possessions and it destroys them. My possessions are not my own. I have enjoyed my house of nearly 23 years, but it is on loan to my family from the Father. He owns everything, and I simply manage. He is all I need. He makes me whole and complete. I was wired and built to worship and bring Him honor. That’s how I can use my pride, performance and possessions – surrender them to Him for His glory!
Pressing On!
Dwayne