Day 259 – Week 38 – Beware of the ego trap
Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Scripture focus: I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.” Psalm 39:1 NLT
Alternative translation, from The Message: “ I'm determined to watch steps and tongue so they won't land me in trouble”.
When I first discovered scripture, I was overcome by its hints at my potential. I determined in my mind to achieve all that God had promised me. I took charge of the situation. Grabbing a notebook, I began to write down a list of all the rules that “good Christians” followed and set out to succeed at following them.
Evidently, the psalmist tried this tactic too. I doubt if the psalmist and I are the only two who’ve tried to behave our way into the kingdom of God. This week, we’ll look at how ineffective that strategy is – at least for the psalmist and me!
As we’ve studied the fruit of the Spirit, did you notice that one of the yummy benefits to having the fruit of the Spirit is self-control? So shouldn’t my efforts to control work for me? As a believer, can’t I expect to gain self-control? Sure! But we can’t acquire it by shooting for it as if it is our goal. Self-control is a by-product that comes into our lives AS WE LEARN HOW TO LIVE LIFE GOD’S WAY – AND THEN ACTUALLY COMMIT TO LIVING WITHIN THOSE PARAMETERS!
So here’s what I want you NOT to do.
I don’t want you waking up every morning with a tight-lipped, grimly determined, steely resolved commitment to behave better.
Instead, I suggest you do this. Ask a question. “God, if I believed in you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength – what work would you have me do today?”
As you go through the day, continue to ask this question. Don’t presume that you’ve got your believing or your behaving under control. Don’t assume you know the answer. Instead, think – I could be wrong! Or – maybe God is teaching me something in this particular experience.
Be gentle with yourself. Assume that mixed in with your believing is probably a bit of unbelief as well. That’s okay. Jesus never took anyone to task over an honest self-assessment!
Let me know how this experiment works!
Recommended reading: Isaiah 22 and 23 in the morning; Isaiah 24 and Galatians 2 in the evening
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