But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
James 3:14-16
My prayer is that the Holy Spirit of God would use this truth from God’s Word to purge me of selfish ambition and jealous comparison of my life with others. It is a horrible thing to have those thoughts ruling my heart. With them come conflict, disorder, and sinful practices. I want to avoid this personally. I want to avoid this in my ministry. The wisdom that comes from above must rule my heart and I pray it helps me lead my flock in that same ruling wisdom.
Lord, I am a broken man for whom Christ died. And my sinful nature still has this disturbing proclivity toward driving self-fulfillment, even in what I want others to see as “holy” in me. O God, purge me from this source idol of approval! I only need to live for Your glory and the proclamation of the gospel in my life.
Lord, I am a sinner who can covet the stuff of other lives, doubting Your provision for me... and not just materialistically. I can read into the Instaglammed filtered images projected by others and then wish I had their experiences or their perceived happiness. I am covetous. I compare my circumstances and become a jealous, bitter judge. This poisons my heart for living in Christ’s counter-culture kingdom. It ruins my chance at really knowing community in Your church. O God, purge me from this source idol of entitlement! I only need Jesus and His remaking of my life into a new and better person for His glory.
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