It's Me Again God

183. Something I'd Rather Not Talk About

It's me again God,

Thank You for the beauty of another day, another portion of my journey with You to look forward to and another opportunity to serve You!  Thank You for reminding me that there are many things that can take my mind off serving You faithfully and living the life you intend for me. One of the issues from my old nature that can be a significant problem for me is pride.  I would really rather not talk about it but I need to be aware because pride can come creeping in unannounced! Your Word has plenty to say on the topic and this morning I definitely heard You whisper:

"....Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It's easy to slip into a place beyond just feeling that general sense of satisfaction over a job well done and pleasure in my possessions. Please help me to remember that everything I have, everything I am able to do and accomplish is only because of Your incredible grace! Help me to quickly turn those moments of feeling pleasure due to my attainments, into a prayer of thanksgiving! All I am and all I have is because of You!

I live to love You and bring You glory but there are times when the many pleasures of this world and focus on my achievements and possessions can pull me away from remembering what is really important:

"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. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever."
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:16-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Help me to keep my eyes on what is important to You! The world is so caught up with pointing out all the possessions and experiences that people can have and advertising is so focussed on having it all! Yes,You want to bless me with what I need but it's gone way past that in my corner of the world! So much status is attached to certain brands of cars, clothing, jewellery and so on. The blessing of achievements is so easily taken over by pride! Please help me to immediately identify the source of my successes and direct my praise there! You have made me and given me talents and abilities to use while I am here. I will use them for Your glory!

I love the way Your Word guides us all in whatever place we find ourselves:

"The believer who is poor still has reasons to boast, for he has been placed on high. But those who are rich should boast in how God has brought them low and humbled them, for all their earthly glory will one day fade away like a wildflower in the meadow. For as the scorching heat of the sun causes the petals of the wildflower to fall off and lose its appearance of beauty, so the rich in the midst of their pursuit of wealth will wither away."
‭‭James 1:9-11‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Finally, thank You for this reminder that Your ways are not the ways of the world!

"He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world's eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God's presence."
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:28-29‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I can see this in the way You sent Your Son into the world —as a baby, born in very humble surroundings, with parents without status in the world's eyes and who were not wealthy. Thank You for the perfect example of humility I see in everything You did while You were here Jesus. Thank You that You humbly suffered and died for me on the Cross so I could have eternal life! I choose to follow Your example today! May the fruit of the Spirit in my life bring the balance that is needed!

In Your Name I pray,
Amen.