Lamentations 3:22-24 (NASB) The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
This was my memory passage for this week. As I recited this over and over, really meditating on the power in this passage, I was hit with a revelation. God was telling me that I rely on myself far more than I rely on Him.
That, my friends, is a frightening realization. I, and I’m betting a great many of you, tend to count more on God’s gifts than God Himself. An person gifted with high intellect will tend to lean on that. A person of wealth, will count on His money, gifts, blessings from God. When I struggle, I most often think and act on what I can do rather than first call on God. Pridefully, I believe that I can handle this and work my way over, around, under or through the obstacle. Why? I’m gifted! In these instances, our strengths, His gifts become extraordinary weaknesses. Our pride and illusioned self determination and self reliance becomes an immense stumbling block to our discipleship and oneness with Christ.
Often times struggles fall upon us after a time of peace, plenty and closeness with Christ. When we ask something of God, and He doesn’t provide in the manner we believe He should, subconsciously, if not consciously, we abandon Him. We push ahead under our “own” power, determining that it is up to us. Instead, we should be thanking and praising Him in these times.
Faith is not a bargain that we’ve made with God… “give me this, do that for me and I’ll trust You, I’ll follow You. If you don’t, well I think I’ll do it my way.”
Our faith MUST be firmly rooted in Him, not His gifts. Who do you go to first, Him or you? What to you lean on, the gifts or the Giver? Have a blessed weekend.
Proverbs 16:19-20 It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy,
Scott Pace
