Recognizing Selfishness

We might consider that we’ve entered into recovery when we stop using our substance of choice or quit the destructive habit that has contributed to our destructive way of life.  It's a great beginning but God knows that unless we deal with the underlying root of those habits and addictive practices we are still doomed for failure.  That's why He includes things like selfishness right alongside drunkenness as things that keep us from life with Him in recovery

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. (Galatians 5:19-20 NLT)

Selfishness, self-will, self-centeredness runs deep in all of us.  It is the root of all kinds of trouble and expresses itself both in active addiction and is clearly evident in our way of relating to God and others.  As we look at our lives without the addictive attachments, where do we see evidence that selfishness might still have roots in our own hearts and relationships?

The Bible offers us the following answers:

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. (Proverbs 18:1 NIV)

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.  (James 3:16 NLT)

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. (James 4:1-2a NLT)

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.   (Romans 7:21, 24-25a)

The good news is that no matter how deeply selfishness is rooted in our hearts, Jesus Christ can change us.  Will we come to Him today and ask for His forgiveness and help or will we continue in the misery of selfishness?

©2015 Partners in Hope