Sin of Self Reliance
God has been softening my heart to start teaching me some things about myself two weeks ago...He has been showing me that I am all to often reliant on my own efforts, my own abilities and my own decisions. That I don't rely on Christ for His Strength, understand that He gives me the ability to work through things and His Ways are better than my ways.
I think a lot of this may stem from the way I grew up, being thrown into a world of independence and self-reliance. Although it's good to be a healthy, well rounded individual, as a Christian, I'm not supposed to be autonomous in the way the world would define it (Dictionary.com would define this as: self-governing; independent; subject to it's own laws only). As a believer in Christ I am to rely and depend on Him and His provision and direction of my life. However, the influence of the world can fog my mind sometimes. I especially realize that I'm falling prey to the way of the world when I keep trying at something and keep hitting a wall so to say. My pursuit, if not aligned with God's written Word, will always falter in some way, shape or form.
Verses that were really encouraging to me as I was dwelling on this were:
Romans 4:20-21, "Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." (NOTE-waver meaning to be divided or doubt) Lord help me not to waver in trusting you fully for the weeks and months ahead.
Psalm 25:11, "For Your name's sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great." Lord, forgive me when I doubt You and rely on my own abilities.
Proverbs 19:21, "Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand." Thank you Father for having the perfect plan, may I align with your plan for our lives.
Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." As I trust in you, Lord, may you make clear what lies ahead in Your perfect timing.
As God continued to work on my heart about this topic, a few weeks ago our pastor preached about "what we are apart from Christ". As he pointed out, much of Scripture will point to the fact that without Christ we are:
*Slaves to sin-Romans 6:20
*Blind to the glory of the Gospel-2 Corinthians 4:4
*Walking in Darkness without a guide-Psalm 82:5
*Can't make right what went wrong-Ephesians 2:1
*We can do nothing of eternal significance-John 15:5
These truths are powerful...What an amazing Saviour we have to save us from sin and being apart from Him!
God definitely hit it home that day, that I needed to stop continuing in my sin of self reliance. I wasn't trusting the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and with all my might...I wasn't being obedient to His command in Scripture.
Oh, how thankful I am for God's patience with me as I learn and grow!
Jenny
I think a lot of this may stem from the way I grew up, being thrown into a world of independence and self-reliance. Although it's good to be a healthy, well rounded individual, as a Christian, I'm not supposed to be autonomous in the way the world would define it (Dictionary.com would define this as: self-governing; independent; subject to it's own laws only). As a believer in Christ I am to rely and depend on Him and His provision and direction of my life. However, the influence of the world can fog my mind sometimes. I especially realize that I'm falling prey to the way of the world when I keep trying at something and keep hitting a wall so to say. My pursuit, if not aligned with God's written Word, will always falter in some way, shape or form.
Verses that were really encouraging to me as I was dwelling on this were:
Romans 4:20-21, "Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." (NOTE-waver meaning to be divided or doubt) Lord help me not to waver in trusting you fully for the weeks and months ahead.
Psalm 25:11, "For Your name's sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great." Lord, forgive me when I doubt You and rely on my own abilities.
Proverbs 19:21, "Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand." Thank you Father for having the perfect plan, may I align with your plan for our lives.
Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." As I trust in you, Lord, may you make clear what lies ahead in Your perfect timing.
As God continued to work on my heart about this topic, a few weeks ago our pastor preached about "what we are apart from Christ". As he pointed out, much of Scripture will point to the fact that without Christ we are:
*Slaves to sin-Romans 6:20
*Blind to the glory of the Gospel-2 Corinthians 4:4
*Walking in Darkness without a guide-Psalm 82:5
*Can't make right what went wrong-Ephesians 2:1
*We can do nothing of eternal significance-John 15:5
These truths are powerful...What an amazing Saviour we have to save us from sin and being apart from Him!
God definitely hit it home that day, that I needed to stop continuing in my sin of self reliance. I wasn't trusting the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and with all my might...I wasn't being obedient to His command in Scripture.
Oh, how thankful I am for God's patience with me as I learn and grow!
Jenny
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