Not Proud

I'm not prideful.  When I'm reading my Bible, I skim over the verses that warn the proud and think about how they don't apply to me... 

Until I read Chapter 9 of Greater by Steven Furtick.  Girlfriends, this chapter hit home.  See, I'm not proud.  I'm often the opposite of proud... and that in itself is pride.  Because I make it all about me.  I worry about what others think about me.  I worry about looking stupid.  I worry about not being able to do something.  I.  I.  I.  Get the picture?

Furtick talks about how Jesus wasn't about Jesus.  He was about those around Him... the people He was ministering to, the people He was loving, His followers.  He was a servant, and we are called to serve.  How hard that it is sometimes, to put down our pride and humble ourselves... to stop worrying about what others think and humble ourselves.  To stop worrying about looking stupid and reach out to  help someone in need.  To shake off our cares about our own "needs" and look to the needs of others. 

How does God do that?  How does He get us to trust Him?  Baby steps for sure... but sometimes He asks us to go all out.  Chapter 9 talked about Naaman, dipping in the Jordan.  He expected, wanted, something huge to be required for healing.  Don't we all want to be a part of something huge?  Miraculous?  Something that people will know has God written all over it?

Sometimes, God doesn't work in the big.  Sometimes, He works through small, irrelevant things that shouldn't have any impact, but they do, and that's how we know they are God. 

And sometimes He works through the thing that we don't want to do. The thing that we never thought we'd do.  The thing we never thought we'd survive.  See, God listens.  He knows what will make us grow.  And if He hears us say, "Well, I'd never do that... that just might be the very thing that He'll call you to do the next time.  He likes to test sometimes.  Think about Job. Think about Abraham and Isaac.  He wants to know we are all in it for Him.

Never say never... or at least be willing to rely on Him to get you through the Never.  Because He can... and He will.  His grace is sufficient.  Even for all of us "unproud" people.