From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God. Self cannot satisfy self. We must hunger for God.
This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God. Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.
“There are two absences of God. One is the absence that condemns us, the other is the absence that sanctifies us. In the absence that is condemnation, God ‘knows us not’ because we have put some other god in His place, and refuse to be known by Him. In the absence that sanctifies, God empties the soul of every concern that might stand between our face and His.” —Tomas Merton
Day 26: Fasting Comparison
Insecurity is a difficult emotion to deal with in our present culture. Many factors may play into a person feeling insecure: social comparisons, past experiences, trauma, societal pressure, etc. People want to be accepted and we HATE criticism even though it may be good for us. The fallen world constantly sends a false message to the minds of people, because the devil is a liar. God never created human beings to live feeling inadequate or unloved; so he commands us to get our security, value, and self-worth in Christ.
When we are facing the emotional pressure of insecurity, we may feel vulnerable, uncertain, or lack confidence which may lead to the additional feelings of rejection, anxiety, or even judgment from others. It’s a slippery slope of lies the enemy tries to feed us. Out of any of those feelings, the temptation comes to compare ourselves. Mistake! We live for Jesus and his true perception of reality; not the reality according to the world.
Today, we fast comparison. I imagine some of the disciples struggled with insecurity, a lack of confidence, or perhaps rejection, when Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go forward with him to Gethsemane, but left the other eight behind. Jesus treasures every human being, so he treasures and desires companionship with you. The Pharisees compared themselves to the temporal world and in the process they did not see the holiness of Christ or the truth about their hearts. When we look in the mirror, may we be more interested in seeing the character of Christ growing in us rather than comparing ourselves to other fallen human beings.
John 18:28-32 NLT Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”
30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.
31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them.
“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for making each one of us unique in your nature. You do not compare us, so we should not compare ourselves to anyone else. Instead, help us to judge our lives by your glorious standard. As we do, please provide mercy, restore our sense of self-worth, and fill us with confidence to do the things you call us to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
