You know, it shocks me how often I catch myself talking about myself and my accomplishments. But isn’t that human nature? We want to be admired, appreciated, and feel necessary and important. But here’s the problem. It doesn’t matter how great we are; how popular we are; how much we are admired—it will never be enough admiration!!!
Why not???
Because we were not created to BE worshiped; rather, we were created TO worship. In fact, when we allow ourselves to BE the center of praise; like a drug, it will eventually destroy us.
How?
Because that is the nature of pride. It separates us from the presence of our life-giving God and wreaks havoc on our life. It goes against our design. We are designed to worship God. To live for our own worship is to live contrary to our design and in opposition to God. Ponder these verses:
“Pride goes before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 16:18
“God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.”
James 4:6
“I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
Isaiah 43:6-7
My friend, we were created to glorify GOD; not ourselves. You know, it was ironic that God gave me this devotional thought on a morning I was feeling disappointed for not being appreciated. If my motivation for anything I do in life is to reap some degree of appreciation or admiration, then I am drinking from a salty well. I’ll always be thirsty. God designed me to do good—not for the approval of humanity but—out of motivation of my love for Him.
God created me to reflect His glory—not to grow my pride.
And then as I studied God’s Word, I was surprised to learn He actually encourages us to boast. What? Yes! God said:
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
God doesn’t encourage us to boast in OUR riches, wisdom or power—but rather, in HIM.
Why wouldn’t we make our boast in knowing someone as amazing as God? Well, it’s likely we just don’t know Him well enough. [I know that’s often my problem because when I know someone who is great, I tend to name-drop at every opportunity.] The closer we get to Him, the more we realize just how multidimensionally amazing He is. We begin to delight in the things He delights in—love, justice, righteousness, goodness, peace, and all the pure and lovely qualities which inhabit His nature. And…
As we experience the presence of God, we realize we have so MUCH to brag about!
The moon has no glory apart from the sun; and when we experience the glorious presence of God, we know we are nothing without Him. He is the bedrock for all goodness, wisdom, love, and power.
Our greatest boast is in God; our greatest life is lived for His glory!
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