Opposite Of Self-Centered Is God-Centered: What Benefits Us More?
Are You Self-centered or God-centered?
Yes and Yes! That’s my answer. How about you?
I wish I could say it’s not true, but the reality is there are times in my life that I am super self-centered. At the same time, there are times in my life that I am very much God-centered. As I have grown in my relationship with God over the past 26 years, I would say that recognizing self-centeredness in me is easier, but I am not sure that I can say that setting myself aside is much easier.
Thank you to Paul for his willingness to be real with us about his personal struggle with self.
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do,
that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
Romans 7:15
Paul’s love and devotion to Jesus was over-the-top. He willingly suffered like few others for the sake of Christ, but even with such a solid devotion and sacrificial heart toward God, he struggled just like the rest of us. The truth is death to self is hard. It does not come easy or natural, but instead supernatural.
Paul is the one who wrote Galatians 2:20.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Yet still he struggled. As I said, Thank you again Paul. I needed to know that I am not alone because while I do love Jesus with my whole heart, my “self” gets in the way of me staying “God-centered.”
No doubt in my mind why God uses the analogy of the relationship between a husband and wife as a picture of our relationship with Him. In both relationships, self-sacrifice is necessary because self-centeredness ultimately attempts to dethrone God.
Could Our Self-Centeredness Be Our Attempt to Dethrone God?
I never really thought a great deal about the true heart of self-centeredness because I don’t like the way I feel when I think about it. Most of us avoid thinking about things that cause us to feel ways we don’t like.
What is it we don’t like about thinking about ourselves in relation to self-centeredness?
I think we all recognize that self-centeredness is not a good thing. And, if we acknowledge that self-centeredness resides inside, we also recognize the need to make changes. Making changes in this area is really awful because we all want what we want.
I am sorry that I have included you in my rambling about self-centeredness. Maybe it isn’t your struggle. Maybe my struggle with self-centeredness is just so strong that I am certain that most other people must battle with it as well. On the other hand, if you are still willing to hang in there with me and my ramblings, think with me on James 4:1-3.
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4:1-3
James exposes our self-centered motives.
Once again, if you are like me, I really don’t like looking at the entirety of this passage. Oh, I like the, “you do not have because you do not ask” part, but not the, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” part.
The truth of God’s word pierces His light into the heart of my self-centeredness and exposes it as my own attempt to dethrone God in my life. No, I never meant it to be that way. I simply wanted what I wanted. But in my battle to have my own way, I lose my trust in the Lord of my life. It’s the unspoken idea that God really doesn’t know what is best for my life or that even if He does, my way is better.
I stand amazed that after 26 years of walking with Him and 19 of those years serving Him in ministry, that I still struggle so much with such a seemingly simple issue of trust.
Is Having What We Want Or Think We Should Have Really Worth It?
And for that matter, will we really end up with what we want anyway? How many Bible stories were written about someone who would stop at nothing, even dethroning God, to have their own way. And how many times did it turn out like they wanted?
REMEMBER:
Sarah’s desire to have a baby and the mess she made forcing it. Genesis 16:1-6
Esau’s hunger and desire for food caused him to sell his birthright for a mere bowl of beans. Genesis 25:24-34
Moses’s desire for the people he led to listen to him and honor him. In frustration he struck the rock one time too many and missed walking in the Promised Land. Numbers 20:6-16
Samson desired Delilah so much that he gave his protective secrets to her and lost his strength, his eyes, and his freedom. Judges 16:1-9
David’s desire for Bathsheba, which led him to murder, a family disaster, and the death of his infant son. 2 Samuel 11:1-8; 2 Samuel 12
If we would just learn to take God at His word, we would not have our own list of self-centered stories that cost us a high price and even others around us.
Maybe it is time that we stop the struggle, face the undesirable feelings of facing our self-centeredness, and go back to the basics of trusting God with everything, even our personal desires and longings. Let’s bank everything on the unwavering foundation of God and His promises.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:3-4
Prayer:
Precious Heavenly Daddy, Lord God Almighty,
I pray this prayer for myself knowing that if anyone else is willing to, they can pray it for themselves. Lord, at times I have deceived myself and believed that I fully trusted You when at the very same time, I fought for my own way and unknowingly attempted to dethrone You. Forgive me for letting my desires and longings rise above Your knowledge and Your best for me. Forgive me for not fully trusting You and disguising it as something else. Help me learn the safety of relinquishing my hopes, dreams, and desires fully to You and rest in Your pure and perfect love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!
If you need extra help with the transformation process, read my past blog post, What Home Renovations Have To Do With Transforming Our Mind And Our Thoughts.
