Romans 12:3
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure
of faith God has given you. (NIV)
I’m young and still growing. It fascinates me how often we take pride in ourselves and in our talents and skills but do not give that pride to God, the one who gave it all to us.
In my opinion, and let me know how you feel, pride is not a bad thing – when in the right place. If we raise ourselves up on our own pedestal we are actually standing upside down underground, but if we raise God up in us for what he has blessed us with, light shall shine down upon it.
I got stuck in a rut today with a situation and I got in that mode where I am right and everyone else is wrong. How thankful I am for having loving people to kick me down off my pedestal and remind me of my place. “Think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you”. This could be broken down as: Think of yourself with a serious, sensible and solemn opinion with complete confidence or trust God has given you.
Looking back on all the times I was unhealthily proud, was I ever judging myself in accordance to a serious or sensible opinion of who I trust God has made me to be? Definitely not. I had an overly zealous opinion of who I think I WAS. Period. Why would I ever want to be like that? As a Christ follower with all my desire to glorify God, why would I ever want to have an opinion of myself that made me look foolish and disconnected from the Holy Spirit? My answer is never, and because of that I think an important question, and more importantly is the answer to that question, is: What can I do to not do that or be like that again?
As a saved man in this fallen and broken world, I am fallen and I am broken. My mind, while in connection with the Holy Spirit, is free from sin. But when I act upon my body’s will I am enslaved to sin. Take note in Romans 7:22-23…
Romans 7:22-23
In my mind, I am in happy agreement with God’s law. But the
rest of my body does not concur. My bodily members are at war
with my mind (which agrees with the law), and I have become a
prisoner in this war to the rule of sin that reigns supreme in my body. (The Voice)
So the very important answer to this question is this: do exactly what Romans 12:3 says, keep a solemn opinion of yourself in the faith God has given you, but do this constantly. I suppose a simple way of doing this is when you catch the slightest glimpse of an ungodly opinion coming out of you ask yourself, “is this an act of being a prisoner to sin or a servant to God”. Try to remember to always be raising God up in your actions and in your thoughts.
I pray that our minds, servants and obedient to the law, Your law God, be the master of our bodies. That we will notice when we begin to fall back into that imprisoning cell of sin, God, may you give us strength to climb out as you are always there for us, I pray we will be aware and perceptive to grab your hand and climb out from the pit of all sin, and specifically prideful sin. Lord I pray that you break us from our sinful and fallen minds so that we can grow and be the light of this broken world with you and for you. Not for us. Amen.
