Recognizing Selfishness
Tuesday March 28, 2017
To stop using our substance of choice is a great beginning to recovery but God knows that unless we deal with the underlying root of our habits and addictive practices we are still doomed for failure. That's why selfishness is included right alongside drunkenness as things that keep us from life with God 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 underlying cause of all our problems and expresses itself clearly in our way of relating to God and others. Without the addictive attachments, where do we see evidence that selfishness has roots in our hearts and relationships? The Bible suggests we do an inventory and deal with our selfish shortcomings.
An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 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. (Proverbs 18:1 NIV, James 3:16, 4:1-2 NLT)
How do we overcome selfishness? We ask God to forgive us for our self-centered ways and free us from the bondage of its power. God promises to transform us if we are willing to give our will and our life over to His care.
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 7:24-25a)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we’re so thankful that You gave Your life to set us free from the deep-rooted selfishness in our hearts. We choose to leave the misery of selfishness behind and ask You to strengthen us to move forward in our life with You in recovery. Amen
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