Pride comes in so many different forms; there's no way to count them all. I search and search for the pride in my heart and I find new ways that my pride conquers. I often pray for pride to be expelled from my heart because I know that only when it is gone can Jesus shine through...
And with that I know that I need discipline to stay sanctified. Discipline & sanctification in today's terms have such bad connotations and there's really no other word for them. They are holy words and satan loves to make us think they are bad. If I say I need to stay sanctified, people automatically think about lust, but sin is sin, and there's plenty more than just lust-pride is what I have struggled with recently.
"Discipline" has almost been thrown out the window in our society, to our demise. It isn't an act. It's a joy, a goal, a tough, tough, tough learned goodness that comes only from God-nowhere else. I have enjoyed His discipline of late and it helps me understand life so much better. I embrace it, lean on it, love it, and struggle with it. It's so hard and so rewarding all at the same time. It allows Him to speak to me, it allows Him to work in me and through me, it even allows Him to give me dreams. Without discipline, He can't create a good work in me [1]. With it, he can create everything-for He is the creator. He makes things out of no things. Not only can he create out of nothing[2], but it's a piece of art every time. It is amazing-almost as amazing as Him. What wonders...
I deeply appreciate God's vision and I trust His judgement on my heart. Just by knowing things about myself makes things happening in my life that I'm struggling with already fine. I'm ok with admitting my downfalls-as tiny as this pride was, satan can still use it, so I'll let Jesus have it and let it go [3]. It takes discipline to not act the way I want to and to know what I have inside of me.
Searching and allowing God to tell me what's going on in my heart is the most wonderful gift I can give myself. God-seeking self-perception. How I do it is by admitting to God in my prayers the simplest feelings I'm having. I just say them. "Lord, I am struggling with this {Spirit inserts words for what I'm feeling[4]}. Help me to deal with this." I sometimes ask Him to dispell them (especially pride). All the while, I keep my heart as an aching, humble[5], bendable, changeable one. Then I stop. Similar to what Eli instructed Samuel [6], I say, "Speak, Lord, I am here." And then He speaks. His voice is like mine but it's truths instead of what I would say. It teaches me and I grow in wisdom. He gives me phrases and challenges my heart. I sometimes battle him and plead my case, but His truth is strong. If I 'm confused, I tell Him. I reveal everything-nothing goes unexpressed. And He speaks. I don't grow alone-it's impossible. I may not perceive other things about myself so well, but my heart is what I need to work on with God the most-it's what He cares for the most. In time, everything else will straighten out ("in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6).
May God bless you and keep you[7]. May you try these things yourself. May you be disciplined. May God make His face to shine upon you. May I not stand in the way of the light.
~J
[1] Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Phillipians 1:6
[2] Now the earth was formless and empty...and God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ~Genesis 2:2-3
[3] ...do not give the devil a foothold. ~Ephesians 4:27
[4] In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ~Romans 8:26
[5] Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD...and because you wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. ~2 Kings 22:19
[6] So Eli told Samuel, "...if he calls you, say, 'Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.'" 1 Samuel 3:9
[7] The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. ~Numbers 6: 24-26
And with that I know that I need discipline to stay sanctified. Discipline & sanctification in today's terms have such bad connotations and there's really no other word for them. They are holy words and satan loves to make us think they are bad. If I say I need to stay sanctified, people automatically think about lust, but sin is sin, and there's plenty more than just lust-pride is what I have struggled with recently.
"Discipline" has almost been thrown out the window in our society, to our demise. It isn't an act. It's a joy, a goal, a tough, tough, tough learned goodness that comes only from God-nowhere else. I have enjoyed His discipline of late and it helps me understand life so much better. I embrace it, lean on it, love it, and struggle with it. It's so hard and so rewarding all at the same time. It allows Him to speak to me, it allows Him to work in me and through me, it even allows Him to give me dreams. Without discipline, He can't create a good work in me [1]. With it, he can create everything-for He is the creator. He makes things out of no things. Not only can he create out of nothing[2], but it's a piece of art every time. It is amazing-almost as amazing as Him. What wonders...
I deeply appreciate God's vision and I trust His judgement on my heart. Just by knowing things about myself makes things happening in my life that I'm struggling with already fine. I'm ok with admitting my downfalls-as tiny as this pride was, satan can still use it, so I'll let Jesus have it and let it go [3]. It takes discipline to not act the way I want to and to know what I have inside of me.
Searching and allowing God to tell me what's going on in my heart is the most wonderful gift I can give myself. God-seeking self-perception. How I do it is by admitting to God in my prayers the simplest feelings I'm having. I just say them. "Lord, I am struggling with this {Spirit inserts words for what I'm feeling[4]}. Help me to deal with this." I sometimes ask Him to dispell them (especially pride). All the while, I keep my heart as an aching, humble[5], bendable, changeable one. Then I stop. Similar to what Eli instructed Samuel [6], I say, "Speak, Lord, I am here." And then He speaks. His voice is like mine but it's truths instead of what I would say. It teaches me and I grow in wisdom. He gives me phrases and challenges my heart. I sometimes battle him and plead my case, but His truth is strong. If I 'm confused, I tell Him. I reveal everything-nothing goes unexpressed. And He speaks. I don't grow alone-it's impossible. I may not perceive other things about myself so well, but my heart is what I need to work on with God the most-it's what He cares for the most. In time, everything else will straighten out ("in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:6).
May God bless you and keep you[7]. May you try these things yourself. May you be disciplined. May God make His face to shine upon you. May I not stand in the way of the light.
~J
[1] Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ~Phillipians 1:6
[2] Now the earth was formless and empty...and God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ~Genesis 2:2-3
[3] ...do not give the devil a foothold. ~Ephesians 4:27
[4] In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ~Romans 8:26
[5] Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD...and because you wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. ~2 Kings 22:19
[6] So Eli told Samuel, "...if he calls you, say, 'Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.'" 1 Samuel 3:9
[7] The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. ~Numbers 6: 24-26
