The world may tell us there is nothing wrong with always putting ourselves first, but this type of mindset actually sets us up for pain and disappointment. We’re accustomed to operating under the belief that we are our own source of everything we need, and we can become frustrated and bitter when we learn our limitations. Depending on God, instead of ourselves, as our source frees us from those limitations and reveals that we can do anything through him.

Taking ourselves out of the center of every situation and putting Christ there instead makes a huge difference. Getting hung up on how others treat us keeps us focused on ourselves, but paying attention to how we treat others leads us right back to Jesus. The hurts we suffer are the result of self-centeredness, and self-centeredness is the result of falling from God’s grace back into our own efforts. We must be careful to remember that if we want to be free from self-centeredness, we must keep anger and bitterness from taking root in our lives.

Trusting in the finished works of Jesus, instead of what we do, helps us avoid the spiritual dangers of self-effort. Relying on our own performance is bound to bring disappointment. We are not the source of our prosperity, our abundance, or our deliverance. We begin to realize this when we stop being preoccupied with ourselves, and instead focus on Jesus.

We are not made righteous in God’s eyes by what we do; only by what Jesus did. Relying on him justifies us by faith. It’s a temptation to stay in the center of whatever happens, but that only makes us lightning rods for the fiery darts of our enemy, the devil. God wants to spare us pain, and agreeing with his word allows him to deliver us from unnecessary hurts.

Prayer:

God, if I had to rely on myself in order to live a successful life, I would surely fail. I am glad that your Son offers me another way. Thank you for giving me your word to help me break free from self-centeredness, and for delivering me from bitterness when I put Christ in the center of everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Philippians 4:13

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Galatians 5:4

Hebrews 12:2, 15

Hebrews 10:38

Habakkuk 2:4

Ephesians 6:16