We all know what the obvious signs of self-centeredness look
like. The general attitude is, “if it doesn’t benefit me directly, I don’t want
bother with it”, or how about this one: “how dare that person inconvenience me,
I’ve got the favor of God” (that one REALLY rubs me the wrong way!)
Nobody likes it when somebody else cuts them off to get the
closer parking space, or races to get the “last one on the shelf”, or sits in “their”
pew/seat, but I will maintain that these are possibly only manifested signs of
a deeper sense of self-centeredness.
Many times in life, we are dealt a situation, incident, or
condition that seems anything but fair; anything but what a “child of God”
should have to go through. The scripture instructs in many places, and many
scenarios to petition God through our prayers, the prayers of many, and
intersession on someone else behalf. What most of us fail to realize is the
term intercede does not mean we go before God with our demands, with a “He’s
gotta do this or that”, all the time mis-quoting scripture completely out of
context. Let’s get one thing straight, God is not subject to our whims, or even
our understanding (or lack thereof), of His will. God is sovereign and is not governed by
anyone or anything external. The creation has no right to demand anything from
the Creator.
So when we face the unfair, un-just, and just plain awful
things in life, we should not view these situations as God being mean to us, or
not caring; “He wills in us to do His good pleasure”, and the emphasis is HIS
good pleasure. God’s greatest desire is not our comfort in this world, but to
draw all men unto Himself, to have that restored fellowship with fallen
mankind.
Miracles, the miraculous is a testimony unto the resurrection
power of Christ Jesus, and in that fact there is no doubt. But the greater
witness is the comfort given to us by the Holy Spirit, God's sustaining power
being worked through us in the midst of life’s most difficult and gut-wrenching
situations. There is more is more testimony through standing for Christ in
adversity, than there is in a miracle soon forgotten by the unbeliever,
You see, to think that this life is all about our pleasure,
our comfort, our desires, is self-centeredness; it’s a big fat lie from the pit
of Hell! Our redeemed life in Christ, is all about Him, and His good pleasure,
His will to draw all mankind unto Himself. Our reward is not in this life, but
after-words in eternal life that He promises.
So next time you find yourself in a “situation”, ask God to “work
in you to do His good pleasure”, that He may be glorified in whatever goes
before you, in whatever He leads you through. For whatever He leads you to, He
will lead you through.
9 Use hospitality one to another without
grudging. 10 As every man hath received
the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God. 11 If any man
speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it
as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 12
¶ Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing
happened unto you: 13 But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall
be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,
happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their
part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or
as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him
not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 1 Peter 4:9-16
(KJV)
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