Good Morning My Friends! We have quite the challenge today. Living intentionally not being all about ourselves.
Another symptom or form of pride is self-obsession. Of course there are many ways this is expressed, but I’m only going to focus on a couple.
Comparing and Competing
Have you considered when you compare yourself to others whether you place yourself above or below them, you are infected with pride?
Listen to what Paul wrote about comparing and competing:
“For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need.” (1 Cor. 4:7-8,MSG)
Even though we already have all we need, we struggle with who we are. Because of that, we can struggle with comparing and competing with others.
I can think of two specific ways comparing and competing is played out in many of us:
- Self-demotion
- Self-promotion
Self-demotion looks you’re fishing for affirmation. You desire for others to reaffirm you are something. You seek their approval. You may think you are being humble when you talk about yourself in lowly terms, but that really is pride coming right up out of your core being. This is the inferior symptom of self-obsession.
Self-promotion looks like, “Look at me! I’m so awesome! Look what I did everyone!” This is the superiority symptom of self-obsession. This is also known as boasting.
“If anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else” (Galatians 6:3-4, HCSB).
God wants us to stop comparing and competing with others. He doesn’t want us to diminish ourselves, but He also doesn’t want us to think we are better than others either.
God doesn’t want us to be boast about ourselves.
God doesn’t want us to be selfish and try to impress others either.
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3, NLT).
Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop competing with others. It’s not pleasing to God.
Seeking Attention
Self-obsession is hungry for attention.
Maybe it sounds like shameless boasting about ourselves as I mentioned above, but it can also sound like the following:
- Being unable to say “no” to anyone
- Obsessively thirsting for something like marriage
- Fantasizing about a better marriage or a better job or a better house or a better income
Do you know why you fantasize about these things? Because you’re hungry to be needed, adored, and noticed by men, not God.
We need to recognize this sneaky symptom of pride called self-attention.
Let’s remember Whose we are. Let’s focus on Who made each one of us to be exactly who He wanted us to be.
The Potter’s Hand
We’re all made in God’s image. I think we compare ourselves to others because we don’t approve what God has created us to be. But God warns us about this too.
“But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” (Romans 9:20, NIV).
We can trust God. He is the master potter. He specifically designed you to be you. You look like you look because that’s what God wanted you to look like. You have the gifts you have because God has a special purpose for you.
“Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?” (Romans 9:21, NIV).
We are each God’s beautiful masterpiece.
“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8, NIV)
If we boast, we better be boasting for God.
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31, ESV).
We need to stop being self-absorbed because no matter what form it’s manifested in, we are living with pride.
Practical Application
Today, let’s really think about what we’re thinking about ourselves. Ask yourself some tough questions:
- Am I seeking attention from others to feel affirmed?
- Am I seeking glory from others?
- Do I think I’m better than others in some ways?
- Am I comparing myself to others and lamenting who I am or what I have?
Pray today and ask God if there is any self-obsession inside of you. Then if there is, say you’re sorry to God. Then ask Him to help you embrace self-forgetfulness. Put aside the selfish tendencies today. Don’t talk down about yourself. Don’t talk too highly about yourself. Thank God for who you are married to. Don’t fantasize about being someone you are not made to be. Embrace who God made you to be today.
Just for Today
Refrain from Self-Obsession, Embrace Self-forgetfulness
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