Pride is an ugly thing.
I see my pride exposed in a desire to hide physical weaknesses. Growing up with a competitive spirit and loving sports, I never wanted to expose injuries or weaknesses to the opposition.
As we grow older, the trend is to continue to privatize our lives ... pulling more and more back from public view ... only wanting to show others our strengths.
In that regard, many of our "relationships" more resemble a perpetual first date or job interview than biblical community!
About two weeks ago, I started to gather a group of people together whom I felt were connected to God and connected to me, to pray alongside our family as I dealt with my latest neck/back issues. As I emailed out invitations, friends and family were very receptive and excited to jump on board with us for this adventure where they can peer into our lives through regular email updates.
One of my good friends from back in Texas wrote this to me last week in response to the invitation I sent out: "I must just say thank you so much for being so open about what's going on with your back. Perhaps it was because it wasn't as severe 5 years ago, but I think you used to keep your daily dealings with chronic pain kinda quiet. You have wholeheartedly served and prayed for so many, and it's our joy to support and pray for you as you deal with your back issues."
As I began to reflect on why I kept quiet about these struggles in the past, this is what I dredged up ... the WHAT IFS ... what if I make this public and God doesn't miraculously heal me ... if God doesn't do something immediate and obvious, would it hinder people's faith?
One of the things that I've learned is that it is not my job to protect God's reputation, just to trust in Him and provide Him opportunities to display His greatness (even by being willing to boast in my weaknesses).
What is at stake here is God's glory, which God intends to be displayed through me and every other believer that walks the face of this earth! That is God's focal purpose for the life of His people!
Growing up I learned that God opposes (stands against) the proud but gives grace to the humble.
I think I'm beginning to realize why. Pride can steal God's glory. What I mean is this ... if I keep quiet and private about my weaknesses and don't give God's people an opportunity to pray and see God move ... then I'm robbing God of an opportunity to show His glory and increase His sway and influence over people's hearts.
Thus, the community experiment in my life was birthed this week. (If you'd like to join us on this journey, let me know).
2 comments:
wb,
your blog reminds me of (borrowing from you) a "gentlemen agreement" we (subconsciously) have with each when we're at church. it goes something like this: how are you? - fine, i am fine and you? often, we are not fine spiritually and physically. disciples of Christ don't have a gentlemen agreement with each other. we have a covenant with our lord Christ Jesus...that is to be truthful even at our weakest moment bc it is then, we will experience victory in Jesus!
Yes, I agree with what Bao said...but God's people have also been robbing God of His glory in many ways!
He is now addressing this final moment of the times of the Gentiles now...
I am seeking those who have been humbled by God, or who have humbled themselves in order to know about how they have robbed God and how God's Plan throughout the ages with its era of the Gentiles is now coming to a close. Those who pretend to be Jews with many traditions of man, and those who cling to the 'Christian traditions' without even realising what Jesus had to say about traditions (making the Word of God to be null and void)are now being judged by God. It is the most important time during the history of mankind.
Post a Comment