On Sunday Joe shared a simple, yet powerful message about how we are to increase our faith. He gave us a formula to help us digest the message: Increase our Faith = More of God > Less of us.
Increasing our faith has nothing to do with us but everything to do with God. The more of God we have in our lives the more faith we have in Him. In order to have more of God in our lives we need to have less of us. It sounds so simple when we put it in an equation but it can be difficult to live out.
This idea of more of God and less of us reminded me of a question I often struggle with. It is the question of, “What about me?” It is triggered by the flesh and corrected by the Spirit. Not once, but many times. Often in pursuit of following Him.
If you’ve ever asked yourself the question, “What about me?” You, just like me, may have fallen into, what I would call, a trick of the devil.
When we make statements like, “What about me?” We are implying that either our needs, wants and even expectations for others are not being met. We are under the assumption that we are not being considered and sometimes even unfairly treated.
The statement, “What about me?” Is built on worldly principles. The world does not believe in a Father in heaven who cares and loves His children. So consequently the world has built systems and ideologies that give us some assurance that we can be taken care of by human means and by our own hands.
“What about me?” reinforces the idea that no one is going to care about your needs and wants so it is up to you to do so. This may very well be a reality for some people who do not have friends, family or a community to support, care and love them. However, as Christians and per original design, we were created to have a relationship with God. This was intentional and strategic on God’s part because He knew that no human could ever love and care for another more than He does. Every need, want and even expectation can be fulfilled by our Father in heaven if He so chooses to do so.
Without God, the statement like, “What about me?” makes total sense and is necessary when you don’t have Christ in you and with you. When you grow up having to care and love yourself, and have not received adequate support in your formative years from others, let alone God, then it is quite natural to ask the question, “What about me?”
But here is a harsh revelation I have received: “What about me?” Is a childish statement.
If you are offended by that statement, then you too may be childish just like me. As a parent, I’ve experienced this first hand with a few words from my daughter and as a child of God, I displayed the same attitudes to my Father in Heaven.
Unchecked this statement can seem like it does no harm but when it seeps into our hearts and mind, it can inhibit our growth in faith. Thinking about yourself is not a bad thing but when we are thinking of ourselves more than God, we end up having more of us and less of God as a result.
This is exactly the same ideology Lucifer had. He saw God’s glory and said something to the effect of, “What about me?” When he made his “I will” statements. He was focused on himself, not God or others.
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
Isaiah 14:12-15 (NIV)
The scripture reminds us that every time we decide to follow Him, we are challenged to deny ourselves and take up our cross.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25 (NIV)
If you haven’t already begun memorizing our church memory verse for this month, I recommend you meditate on it and allow the Holy Spirit speak to you as He did to me.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:11-13 (NIV)
Spend some time in prayer and reflection asking God, where am I like a child and what do I need to put behind me? How can I reflect you more in my day to day life? Does my life display faith, hope and love?