I returned home to South Carolina yesterday after enjoying a men's retreat to Conroe, Texas. Perhaps the most memorable and most meaningful time was our visit with a beautiful 83 years young, Mrs. Billy Foster. After homemade dessert and coffee, Mrs. Foster opened up her heart to four broken men. She shared honestly and openly words of wisdom and grace. Her story could be described in these words: past, struggles, hard-ship, self-centeredness, pride, neediness, surrender, brokenness, humility, grace, healing, and love. Out of all that she said and shared one line stood out to me above all the rest.
"Grace is the antidote to all our self-absorption."
So, what does self-absorption look like? For me it many times takes on the form of insecurity, which leads to criticism, pride, fear, and anxiety. Maybe you can relate, thoughts like, I will never find my place, I just can't measure up no matter how hard I try, I am such a failure, I am alone in this, I should just stay to myself (ring a bell). Sounds like the voice of the enemy, but once owned quickly turns into self-absorption.
Or what about the other side of the coin. I have finally arrived, God must be proud of my recent good behavior and good deeds, I finally have something to offer now. No doubt, God is proud of His children and we do have something to offer if that something is Christ, but God's acceptance of us is not based on how well we think we are doing or measuring up.
The point is whether I am beating myself up or glorifying myself because of my good behavior it's still about me and it is all self-absorption. So, the only thing that will cure us from all this focus on self is Grace, Just Jesus. When I focus on Jesus and who he is and all that he has done for me and in me, and who I am now in Him it is there that I find true rest and peace within. It is then that I am able to fully experience and express His life within and it is there that He is most glorified!
"Grace is the antidote to all our self-absorption."
So, what does self-absorption look like? For me it many times takes on the form of insecurity, which leads to criticism, pride, fear, and anxiety. Maybe you can relate, thoughts like, I will never find my place, I just can't measure up no matter how hard I try, I am such a failure, I am alone in this, I should just stay to myself (ring a bell). Sounds like the voice of the enemy, but once owned quickly turns into self-absorption.
Or what about the other side of the coin. I have finally arrived, God must be proud of my recent good behavior and good deeds, I finally have something to offer now. No doubt, God is proud of His children and we do have something to offer if that something is Christ, but God's acceptance of us is not based on how well we think we are doing or measuring up.
The point is whether I am beating myself up or glorifying myself because of my good behavior it's still about me and it is all self-absorption. So, the only thing that will cure us from all this focus on self is Grace, Just Jesus. When I focus on Jesus and who he is and all that he has done for me and in me, and who I am now in Him it is there that I find true rest and peace within. It is then that I am able to fully experience and express His life within and it is there that He is most glorified!
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