Pride... What a common pitfall for so many leaders. This world and society highly esteems putting one's attention and focus on achievements and success'. Although, there is also an importance to recognizing ones achievements, that shouldn't shape the reason of our existence. You see, (and I say that because I didn't see!) Paul says here in 1 Corinthians that he will boast gladly in his weaknesses so that Gods power would rest on Him.
The more I read the Bible the more I realize that we need faith to believe what is taught in it because no one in their right mind would sit around boasting about their weaknesses. But, throughout Scripture there is a pattern of seeing God ask believers to do what is uncommon for our world. He asks us to love our enemies. He asks us to give instead of receive. He even suggests that if we boast in our weaknesses His power would rest on us and we would be strong! What a strange concept... Or is it so strange?
As we live in this fallen world, fallen because it's not what God intended in the beginning (Eden), we see that our "normal" is Gods abnormal and Gods "normal" is our abnormal. For many reasons, too much to dive into today, I will trust that God has chosen the better "normal" and our duty as believers is to bring that "normal" here on Earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:9-13) and to trust that Gods ways are far better than our ways and His thoughts see beyond our puny capacity. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
We are to take up our cross daily (Matthew 16:24-26) and the cross isn't a "happy ending" to the natural eye. The cross isn't a pretty thing... the cross equals death. Death to what? Death to ourselves. We must be dying to ourselves daily. Die so that He may live and be glorified in us.
So, this day let's choose to die to ourselves and find life in Christ's resurrection. Death to pride. Death to arrogance. Death to caring about what people think about us. Death to self preservation. Death to everything that is not Christ or of Him.
Karol Krawchuk
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