Whatever you do, DO IT ALL for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
One of the greatest dangers in the Christian walk, is the tendencies we have to seek and take the glory that belongs only to God. It's a trap I've witnessed many falling into. Watching Christian TV alone is evidence of this danger - the pastor or teacher that literally pauses the sermon waiting for the applause. I don’t exclude myself from that - I too have been guilty of it in the past! Believe me, it's an area God worked on me - at great lengths.
The fallen human condition tells us that we "need" attention from our fellow man. We crave acknowledgement. In our FEAR OF BECOMING INVISIBLE to the world around us, we do everything we can to speak out or act out. We seek to draw the eyes and ears of everyone upon us.
"See what I've done!"
"Look at what I've accomplished!"
"Look at what I've sacrificed to accomplish this thing that God called me to do."
While those exact words may not come out of our mouth, our DESIRE for attention comes out in our behavior and attitudes.
Our actions speak volumes!
In our effort to NOT become INVISIBLE, we make sure that everyone knows it was our idea to do this or that. We make sure everyone sees the depths of our sacrifice.
But Paul warns us in Galatians 5:26, “Let us not be desirous of VAIN glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Just a reminder that vanity is defined as excessive focus on the outward appearance - lacking substance or worth. Actually if we'd just dissect and meditate on that verse alone - Phew! The power and changes in our heart that we'd realize!
To think that our hard work could be all in vain - lacking substance or worth - that's a hard pill to swallow. But the truth is that if our MOTIVES are to seek attention for ourselves, then what we receive in return is VAIN glory - it lacks the substance or worth that only God's Spirit can endow. If God does not get 100% of the glory, then it's ALL IN VAIN!
Why? Because it tends to wreak of pride. The kind of pride that led to Lucifer's fall. Scripture tells us God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Pride causes us to be double-minded (undecided, vacillating, marked by hypocrisy). It causes us to actually serve ourselves, while trying to make it look like we're serving God. Oh, the hypocrisy!!
The truth is that it's hard to be humble. Sometimes, it physically hurts - seriously, it's the war between the flesh and spirit! You can feel in it your chest - in your mind - in your whole being! Our fleshly cravings can be tormenting, as the Holy Spirit works to refine us in His Holy fire. God wants to rid us of these fleshly iniquities.
Jesus tells in Matthew 23:12, that "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
God's exaltation far outweighs any empty praise man can heap on us! Knowing in your spirit that God is smiling down on you because you became invisible for His glory - what an amazing feeling! It's God's spirit that needs to shine through you. When someone reveals to me that God spoke to their heart through something I've said or written on behalf of God, it makes my spirit jump with excitement - far more than someone telling me how great I am! Ugh! Believe me, it used to be the other way around. But as God's Spirit taught me about the vanity of that behavior, I surrendered my "need" for the praise of man. I seek only God's approval.
One of my favorite songs is You are My Vision by Rend Collection. It's a remake of the old Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision. The phrase "I don't want riches or man's empty praise. You're my inheritance, now and always. You and You only, the first in my heart" has become my heart cry. Less of me, more of YOU LORD!
If you struggle in this area, press in and ask God to open your eyes and reveal when you're caught up in the flesh. If you think you don't struggle with this - look again - chances are you've deceived yourself! The solution is embedded in James 4:6: humble yourself, submit all your works to God, resist the enemy's influence, watch how God blesses you, write it down so that when tempted again, you can remember the truth that God showed you. This is all part of dying to the self.
Become invisible for God’s glory!
Here's a nugget of truth to meditate on. The only truly good I can do, is by God's Holy Spirit working Himself through me. It's not me - it's only God. Why would I ever think, I deserve the credit?
Listen to these powerful worship songs:
Verses to ponder:
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
You Are My Vision lyrics as performed by Rend Collection
You are my vision, O king of my heart Nothing else satisfies, only You, Lord You are my best thought by day or by night Waking or sleeping, Your presence, my light
You are my wisdom, You are my true word I ever with You, and You with me, Lord You're my great Father, and I'm Your true son You dwell inside me, together we're one
You are my battle-shield, sword for the fight You are my dignity, You're my delight You're my soul's shelter and You're my high tower Come, raise me heavenward, O Power of my power
I don't want riches or a man's empty praise You're my inheritance, now and always
You and You only, the first in my heart High king of heaven, my treasure You are
High king of heaven, when victory's won May I reach heaven's joy, O bright heaven's Son Heart of my own heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O ruler of all This picture makes me think of how when God's light shines in us - everything in the foreground fades - the focus is on the light!
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