Thought of the Day: Self-Consciousness as Pride

Greetings in Christ Jesus, fellow soldiers.

Have you found yourself saying "I don't belong here" or "I am not good enough for this mission" or "If only others truly knew me, they'd know I'm a fraud"? It is common for people to have these thoughts at various times in their lives and throughout a variety of experiences. We often call label such thoughts with terms like "self-conscious" or "insecure."

Yet, for those of us who believe in the living God, these thoughts don't reveal are doubts about ourselves but pride in ourselves and doubts about our God. We ascribe our stations in life to mere accident rather than God's purposes and ascribe our successes and failures to our own character, though it is God who calls us to and equips us for various tasks. In fact, He'll often place us in positions in weakness in order to demonstrate His great strength and glory. Who are we to question His purposes with petty thoughts about ourselves?

Remember, Jesus came for the sick, not the healthy; the sinners, not the righteous. When asked why a certain man was born blind in John 9--whether it was this man's sin or the sin of his parents--Jesus said that it was neither: He was blind so that the works of God might be displayed. Jesus then healed the man. May we embrace our weaknesses, the gracious strength of our God, and see our lives as directed toward His glory, not directed toward our perceived failures.