A few years ago, I did a study on pride. I learned that pride is not just being arrogant or boastful. Pride is not about what you think yourself as much as it is just thinking about yourself too much. Pride is placing yourself in the highest place in your life. So pride is also being consumed with how you don’t measure up. Having an inferiority mindset will keep you receiving God’s love fully just as arrogance will.
Don’t listen to the voice of shame or guilt.
Personally, this has been a battle for me. I often dwell on what I do wrong rather than on what goes right. Honestly, I spend way too much time worrying about what other people think of me. I miss out on so much time with God and so much revelation of his love when I become obsessed with people’s opinion of me.
Isaiah 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
Your good works or attempts to impress God are worthless. In God’s eyes, your good life does not qualify you for his mercy and grace. There is not some level you reach in your spiritual life, that God will be surprised or impressed by.
Isaiah 61:10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
My confidence should not be based on my performance. As a child of God, your confidence needs to be in resting in the knowledge of God’s love for you. You were dressed in filthy rags, but Jesus has covered you with clothing of salvation and draped you in a robe of righteousness.
All of these issues – pride, fear, and shame – prevent us from resting properly because we are too consumed with ourselves and not focused on God and his love for us which should completely our former lives.
I John 4:16-18 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
Knowing God means knowing love because God is love. When you know who God is, then you can have real confidence and real peace. The more I get to know God, the less I have to doubt his character. I love my parents. I’ve known them my whole life. They have sacrificed for me; they have loved me in every season my life. Regardless of me making bad decisions, I know they always love me and want the best for me. Because they’re my parents! That’s what parents do. In the same way, I know God is my Heavenly Father. When I spend time in the presence of God learning about his character and his love for me, I grow my confidence in who he is. I can only rest in God’s love if I know God in an intimate and personal way. Intimacy comes from intentionally choosing Jesus despite what it means I have to give up. Intimacy comes from knowing God so well that I don’t just follow a religion’s guidelines or just attend church, but I have an active and thriving relationship with the living God.
There's still more I have on this topic; so be watching for part 3 soon.
<3 Brooke of Love
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