The Culture of Self...

We live in a culture that promotes self! Just visit your local bookstore and see how many book are there that emphasize self. The world encourages us to be self-reliant and self-seeking, as well as a long list of other self-focusses. We are constantly told to rely on our own wisdom and our own strength. It's interesting how so many of these things completely opposes what the Bible says. For example, Ephesians 6:10 tells us to, "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Proverbs 3:5 also tells us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." We're to be strong in Him and His power, and to trust in Him and not in our own abilities or understanding. These couldn't be any farther from what our culture tells us to do. In my life I've clearly seen the sad fruit of depending of my own strength, wisdom and understanding. Yet I've also seen the blessing and good fruit of trusting in the Lord's strength and wisdom. Sometimes it's easy for us to think we're living in His strength and wisdom, yet if you really think about it, often we're actually not. We've subtly slipped back into self-reliance and self-focus. For me to live today as the Lord desires, I must be empty of self and full of Him. If I don't live in His strength and His wisdom, I will fall short. Today He's offering us all the strength, wisdom, and whatever else we need, to live to please Him. You choose.