For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ( Romans 12:3 KJV) Respect, submission, commitment and worship are heavily affected by how we view ourselves. They can be easy, tolerable, enjoyable, burdensome, mean or ultimately unnecessary depending on how we value ourselves. The more incorrectly we value ourselves, the more difficult it is to love ourselves properly. We become havens of abuse, abusive, proud, haughty, insensitive, insecurity, lacking in love, inconsistent in our obedience to God or completely abandoning it. When our view of ourselves is off the mark, questioning things in an unproductive manner, consciously or subconsciously rejecting the supremacy of Gods word, basing decisions on what we believe is best for our needs and wants, suicidal tendencies etc become the order of the day. The world always owes us something, they are not giving sufficiently (or at all, love), respect, honour, remuneration, obedience etc. Living in fear of, hostage to or under the control of the opinions of other people is a trap we easily fall into. Not measuring up to certain standards becomes crippling, an insatiable pursuit or confidence and life shattering. Huge errors in judgement, misreading signs and information, irrational assessments and trust issues find a home in our lives because of the lack of sobriety in our self assessment. Stability and consistency often elude us when or where they matter the most. A lack of sober thinking makes contentment a difficult proposition or a visitor who only ever passes through without ever staying long. Excelling in some areas and neglecting or disappointing in other critical areas becomes acceptable and very justifiable. Under performing, struggling with pressure, incorrect pursuits, a lack of appreciation for success etc are all products of an incorrect self assessment. Stability, contentment, respect, humility, wisdom, patience and love find it easy to dwell and grow in us when we have a healthy view of ourselves. A balanced perspective and submission become assets in our lives and relationship with God. Obeying Gods instructions becomes easier, desirable and fruitful in our lives. The need to be the centre of attraction, lording it over people, boasting etc wont have a grip on us because we wont have flaws in our ability to love ourselves. We will walk free from the burden of keeping up with the Jones, demanding proof and security that militates against the operation of our faith, and needing to feel like another persons world will collapse if we are absent. Being able to develop other leaders to a level of being able to replace us is not a scary thing to be avoided neither is giving others a chance when our self concept is right. Insecurity, inferiority and instability have to find somewhere else to operate from. Receiving and giving the love of God becomes a normal yet awesome way of living and second guessing ourselves when we have done what love needs done even if it results in pain is no longer an issue. May you walk in an accurate and liberating view of yourself. May the burden and struggles you are wrestling with fall away and find solutions as you develop a sober opinion of yourself. May love and boldness dwell richly in you. May you find it easier to move on to the next level/ target, forgive and obey the word of God. May you enjoy and exercise the power of humility and submission.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:13:27 +0000
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