Part 2 Self - Advancement

Following on from Yesterday's post, I am not sure that I am going to like this weeks review on SELF. I know what I said about myself 8 years ago and a cursory glance at what I wrote back then tells me that I have not moved on in many of the areas of my life.

Before I start, I have to say that I like me. I am very content with who I am, and I have no wish to model myself on anyone else apart from the Lord.

Therein lies the first problem. I like this me. I like to please and pamper this body of mine, I like to exercise my mind with things that interest me. As for my soul & spirit, well in thoseaspects of my life I let the Lord take care of that. But I am very aware that if I have not handed over my complete 'being' to the Lord, then an inner conflict can and does take place.

So how does this affect self-advancement in my life? The first sin committed by Adam was a case of self-advancement. Believing that he would become like God Adam ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The consequence for this sin required our Lord to redeem us back to God and the world and mankind has suffered ever since that day.

I believe that the desire for individuals to promote self, to be the head and not the tail. To lead and not to follow is in our fallen DNA.

As I approach retirement in a few years time I regret wasting so much energy on my quest for self advancement. The maneuvering, the worry, the fretting, is all vanity. Solomon is right life lived with that mindset is all vanity.

I wish that I had realised what I am about to say many years ago! An advantage to getting older is that you have a longer time to look back over, and in looking back, I can see that God has watched over me all my life, even before I became a Christian.

Through his grace I have prospered in all the jobs I have taken, and have been blessed in my marriage and in my family.

There is a saying that I use when talking about about experience which goes: 'Experience is something that tells you when you make the same mistake twice'.
But the truth about experience with the Lord is that learn that he can be relied upon to be with you, to guide you, to mature you in the things of God.

Humility, meekness and a servants heart, are not natural in the world. Most people would see those attributes as a weakness, I have never seen any business leader with those attributes, just the opposite.

Putting others first, walking that extra mile with those in need might be easy to do once in a while, but to do it continually in a life long service can only be realised through God's intervention in our lives.

Being God centred, moulded with God's DNA gives us his power that allows us to be humble, meek, and have a servants heart. In that condition we find true life.

Lord promote the advancement of your kingdom in my life and not my self-advancement.

Finally ........... a thought for to-day

To live for Christ, we must die to self.