“The heart is deceitful
above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
-Jeremiah 17:9
It must be
right. It meets all of the usual moral obligations. It:
- · Doesn’t Go Against the Bible
- · Could be Considered Ministry
- · Makes People Feel Good
- · Is Related to God
- · Is Supported by Many
We check our
version of this list when we begin to feel convicted about doing something.
When decisions arrive or plans must be made, we act on our convictions
concerning these things.
But we often
forget at the same time to ask what we are convicted by.
You and I
can be convicted as much by pride as we can be by righteous obedience to our
Lord.
The sense of
self-preservation and self-regard is strong in our sinful nature. In fact, it’s
so integral to our lives that we often act for self-gain without even realizing
it. In our everyday conversations, basic choices, and even our simplest
preferences we show concern for ourselves before anything else.
Even in our
relationships, our decisions and feelings are often based on what we want, what
we think best, and what we find most suitable for ourselves. From the way we
plan our schedules to our responses to those we love, it’s more often than not
that our intentions are ultimately about our own gain.
From this
place of “me first” we’re easily convicted by pride instead of by the Lord.
Utterly convinced that our way is the right way or that we couldn’t have been
wrong, we can easily be propelled far from God’s plan without ever realizing
it.
It’s a harsh
reality, but no less the truth.
Don’t allow
your heart to deceive you. As you make decisions, big and small, ask yourself:
am I fervently obeying my desires or the Lord? (CLICK TO TWEET)
This post is being shared on: #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, Intentionally Pursuing,Titus2sday, and Thought-Provoking Thursday.
This post is being shared on: #TestimonyTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, Intentionally Pursuing,Titus2sday, and Thought-Provoking Thursday.