Tag Archives: selfishness

Got to Let It Go

  By Rachel | May 17, 2012 - 6:15 pm | Thoughts for the Day
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Let go
Do you put things off?  Procrastinate?  You keep on meaning to do it- whether it be a letter of encouragement to a friend- a phone call- or addressing that sin in your life that keeps tripping you up?

Our final BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) of the year was this past Wednesday.  I was so convicted by the lecturer’s words on procrastination- delaying action on the conviction that the Holy Spirit places on our heart.

I have made excuses, side-stepped the issue, rationalized, blamed- all in a vain effort to pretend like I am not the one responsible for “cutting this weed” out of my life.

And some of those things are choking out the possibility of new growth.  It is almost as if I can hear God saying- you have to let that go before we can move forward- acknowledge that sin- seek forgiveness.

This morning, as I was praying and reading the Word I felt so convicted in my spirit b/c I realized that giving up control, giving up more of my self- I feel a little bit of fear about where that will lead.  I know that if I am going to live a Godly life- I will be persecuted.

I felt ashamed when I saw my fear.  And I prayed to the Lord to take it away- and to help me to stop avoiding dealing with those repetitive sins in my life.

Here are some of the points from the lecture and notes that convicted me.

  • Delaying our response to conviction is disobedience.
  • Are we seeking pleasant days or obedient days?
  • When you hear the truth about salvation, or holiness, or fruitbearing, do you postpone action?  Are you stuck in indifference that never moves to positive action in faith?

What do you need to let go of?  What are you clinging to instead of God? 

I love Amy Grant’s music- have been a fan since I was a young girl.  There is a song of hers that came to mind when I was writing this post.

Got to Let It Go

All my lifetime plans
Got’ em in my hands
Balancing my fate upon a wire
Got to let it go
Everywhere I turn I see
There’s nowhere left to go
All my dreams are far
Too much for me to hold
Still I hate to drop them
Weren’t they from you
What did I do
You alone can see
Into the heart of me
Am I really givin’ up tomorrow
Got to let it go
This is gonna hurt a little
Still it’s right I know
Even though I fear
Too much of me might show
I can’t wait any longer for it
I’ve had enough
I’ll give it up

[Chorus:]
Lord, here’s my heart, I’ve been keepin’ it from you
And I’ve got to let it go
Holdin’ on just brings me worry
Got to let it go
Come and take it from me, hurry
Got to let it go
Got to let it go
Got to give up all of my control

Holdin’ on too tight
Where do I lose sight
Where’s the line that seems to bring frustration
Got to let it go
The best of dreams can turn to nightmares
When my heart takes hold
How long must I learn
This lesson’s getting old
I’ve got to catch a clearer vision
I’m in your hand
You’re in command

I pray that today we will acknowledge those things that hinder us from a deeper intimacy with God and surrender them to Him- committed to do battle until those things are defeated in the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

Delight in Dawdling

  By Rachel | April 9, 2012 - 10:09 pm | Thoughts for the Day
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Rose
My daughter is a dawdler.  She especially seems to love dawdling when we are getting dressed in the morning, eating meals, and getting ready for bed at night.

She will ask questions (why?), move at a snails pace, anything to prevent the quick movement from point A to point B or through whatever task or meal we may be sitting down to complete.

I find myself getting very frustrated sometimes.  Why?  That’s what I have been thinking about- and truthfully- all the reasons that I come up with mostly boil down to my own selfishness.  I want her to move faster so that I can move on to the next thing or focus on the next thing.

When I have a list in my head of things to do, I like to move through those things and get them accomplished.

Sometimes my son is crying and she is dawdling and I just want her to hurry so I can get back to him.

Maybe you are trying to take just a few moments to sit down and read for a few minutes, or eat something, or do a few exercises…go to the bathroom…

In the heat of the moment, how do you respond?  I believe those moments are glimpses of our true character- our discipline and self-surrender to Christ.  That’s why I posit it is my own selfishness that fuels so many of my reactions- those parts of myself that remain not given up or delivered in Christ.

Whatever the reason- these are times when I feel my character is being tested.  How will I choose to respond?  Will I yell and get impatient?  Will I calmly ask her to move a little faster and explain to her the reason for hurrying?  Will I let her dawdle- and dawdle with her?

Life is full of so many small- seemingly insignificant moments- but out of those things if we are watching- we can see patterns emerge.  Ways that we choose to deal with situations that frustrated us or raise our stress level.

God has been challenging me with the realization that everything I do- even these seemingly insignificant things- are teaching my children about my character- and their mother responding with the love of Christ- and in a way that teaches them about who God is and who He calls us to be as Christians.

Rather than letting these moments slip by unchecked- I have been praying that God will change my heart and continue to chip away at the selfish parts of me- bringing me more fully in surrender to Him.

Romans 12:1-2

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Philippians 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Colossians 3:20-21 (Great passage on a Christian household)

20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Embitter: Cause (someone) to feel bitter or resentful.

Bitter: characterized by intense antagonism or hostility, hard to bear, grievous, distressful

Synonyms for Bitter: heartbreaking, disagreeable, antagonistic, distasteful, acrimonious, disturbing, unpleasant

***I think that though this passage says Fathers- that Mothers can endeavor to also avoid things that would embitter our children.

Contemplating the view, Willis Tower
So I pray that today, we would take time to consider our interactions with our children, and if you have no children presently- how you interact with your spouse or co-workers, friends, family…

Are there any situations that continually frustrate you or leave you feeling unsatisfied- wishing for a different outcome?  Are you hungry to live a more faithful example of Christ’s sacrificial love and patience?

I encourage you to pray- and seek accountability- to find Scriptures that can encourage you and memorize them- write them on your mirror- start today.

Don’t let another day go by- for we all know- time slips away quickly and before we know it- the time to change is lost- our children are grown- relationships are damaged or destroyed- because we failed to see the importance of those seemingly little things.

Romans 7:21-25

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

 

 

 

Denying Self

  By Rachel | February 8, 2012 - 1:10 am | Thoughts for the Day
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Over the Christmas holiday, I had a conversation with a friend that I keep replaying in my mind.  What we were talking about is very simple- in theory- and perhaps one of the hardest battles that we fight as Christians.  I think that in the United States, surrounding by so many tempting distractions, it is even harder- denying self.

Jesus is teaching the disciples and talking about his suffering and death.  Then he says the following words in Luke 9:23-26

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Corinthians, Philippians, James- all of these books of the Bibles warn Christians about the trappings of selfish ambition- and how it can take us down a path that does not honor God and can lead others astray.

James 3 in particular- see these verses (13-16):

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

The battle against self is fought every moment of every day.  That desire to indulge in food beyond what I need, the tendency to spend my day looking forward to time that I can spend doing what I want, not consumed with caring for other people’s needs (my children and my family in particular) and then people from church and friends.

Do you ever avoid answering the phone b/c you really don’t feel like talking to someone- though you know they may need to talk to you?

Maybe instead of reaching out to someone, you stay home and read a book or watch TV shows instead of being a listening ear for someone who needs a friend?

Do you find yourself annoyed by interruptions in your day rather than prayerfully being watchful about who God might want to use you to minister to today?

I was feeling convicted about this today- and thinking again about how I need to use Scripture to combat these feelings of selfishness- I deserve it-type feelings that raise to the surface at times.

If we look at Jesus as our example-He spent His life prayerfully seeking God and taking some time to rest- but a great deal of His time was spent teaching, and serving those around Him.

Just to have a bit of His passion and sense of purpose- to eagerly approach opportunities to serve God and be a witness to those around me.  That is my prayer today.


Thoughts on Wisdom

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 9:19 pm | Thoughts for the Day
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James has always been one of my favorite books of the Bible.  Mainly because every time I pick it up it convicts me.  I recognize my need for God, which is something I need to be reminded of a lot because I get to thinking sometimes that I am doing pretty well on my own.

In James 3:13-18 we hear about two kinds of wisdom.  This convicts me every time.  Esp. the word humility- that is such an elusive thing in our society- everything is so me-focused- how do you live a life in submission, where you see the talents in others and applaud them, you realistically see your own limitations and accept them, and most of all avoid the antithesis of humility- Pride.

It cuts to the heart of what motivates us.  What drives us in the choices we make?  How we spend our time and money?  Who we spend time with?  What do we talk about and think about? When I honestly examine those things, I find myself displeased with what I see.

Here is the passage:

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Wow, so much is said in just a few sentences.  Just verse 13.  How often are we completely honest and aware of our own motivations?  Do we recognize when we are acting in complete selfishness with no care for those around us? Our culture is full of envy right now- we are practically dripping with it- envying jobs, lifestyle, money, vacations, houses, cars, you name it.  How much time do we spend thinking about these things?  What if any true and lasting joy do they bring?

Sometimes I wish that I could shed all these things that seem to entangle my legs and trip me up- it is so hard to keep focused on what is important.  So many distractions and enticing things that we are led to believe that we need.

I do believe there is great value in a simple life- where we try to avoid getting into the competition for nicest house, car, most powerful job- and just pursue God- and whatever passion He has given us.  Sounds simple- but it is not.  I do believe it is a narrow road (Matt. 7:13-14)- and there are so many distractions meant to keep us off course- maybe to keep us our whole life on the sidelines- never seeing the potential that has been in us all along.

I pray that-whatever God’s purpose for your life might be- that you find it- and have the courage and fortitude to stay the course and be faithful to where He has called you- and I pray that I might do the same.