Dear God, I Have A Problem & It’s Me

The supreme test of service is this: For whom am I doing this? Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all....If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition.  A.T. Pierson

God, harden me against myself!  Amy Carmichael

I was reading a list of wise old sayings and this was one of them.  How many times do we think we have a problem, but we think our problem is someone else?  Too many times the problem in this equation is “me”.     

This is a difficult one for me.  It is so easy to slip into what I like to call the “me syndrome”.  We get this condition most often when we lose sight of God and his principles about living life.  Many years ago I read the book by Rick Warren called “A Purpose Driven Life”.  The very first line in the book is this, “It’s not about you.”

Over the years I have learned that I get in my way more than anyone else does.  I am more of a hindrance to myself than any other individual in my life.  Why does that happen?  I think the reason it happens is because my focus is on the wrong thing; “me”.  If I spend all my time thinking about what I want to be, where I want to live, what school I should go to; then I will never get what my true purpose in life is. 

I often try to make sense of what I am doing in life and often come up short.  If I don’t turn to our Creator for guidance, I will always be searching for that illusive thing that will give me happiness. 

The other thing that hinders me is that I don’t believe God can do what He says He can.  So I ask God for help; yet I wrestle the reins back from Him because I lack the faith required to depend on Him and believe that He can handle my messes. 

The world we live in teaches us to look out for #1 (me), and everything we do is in pursuit of that.  There are a few other sayings that cover the “me syndrome that I would like to share with you. 

“He who dies with the most toys is still dead.”  Unknown

“He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.  Ben Franklin

“He is a self-made man and worships his creator.  John Bright

I need to work on me. I need to let go of selfish ways and grab hold of more selfless ways.  God will bless me if I get out of my way. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, one of the hardest things for me to overcome is “me.”  I need Your help to focus on what is important in this life.  You created me to be used for Your purpose, yet too many times I fail You by focusing back on me.  Give me a heart in service for You.        

      

Scripture: Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.  For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:8-12