Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Lost in Selfishness

     Selfishness to me is someone trying to find satisfaction in physical things. Thinking that giving more to one's self will bring you happiness. In selfishness all your thoughts are turned inward and you block out or ignore the feelings of those that are around you.
     In my opinion, selfishness is like someone who is drowning and grabbing at anything that is around them in order to survive. They are trying desperately to find their way to the surface through their physical desires.The mind knows it needs something to be happy and a person in desperation will take and not give anything away.
     Some people have given over to their selfish behavior or are just blind to it. While others like me have a struggle with it from time to time. My mind sometimes turns inward and I become lost in my own misery.
     Sometimes but not all the time when I have some sort of struggle with a emotional distress, selfishness seems to take over and I start doing things more for myself. Believing in the more I do for myself the better I will feel. I found it to be just a lie of the mind, a mental weakness, the sin at work within me taking hold and leading me into a spiritual darkness that only increases my pain rather than relieving it.
     When I find myself in trouble, I always look to God's word for my answer. I find that the searching for my answer within the Bible is in itself a relief to my mind. My inward thoughts start to turn outward towards God for my help. Instead of me trying to solve my own problems with a clouded mind, I rely on the wisdom of God's word. I found that relief of a selfish mind only comes when you no longer focus only upon yourself.
     The Bible tells us instead of thinking selfishly but to think in a godly way. Philippians 4:8 " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
     We can free our mind of our selfishness if we start to think in a different way. Focusing our thoughts more on what God is telling us rather than what our selfish mind is telling us to do. Our mind can be at rest and have peace if we only look to God for our answers.

2 Corinthians 5:15 "and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."  

Saturday, August 20, 2016

In This Corner

     In this corner is God and in another corner there is Satan. God has his people and Satan has his.
     What kind of people are with God? The deeply spiritual holding tight to righteousness. Those who care and give from the their hearts. The powerful in spirit, who are loving and forgiving, are those with God.
     What kind of people are with Satan? The shallow without empathy. The selfish without compassion. The powerful, who are without mercy or love, are those with Satan.
     Two corners, two opposite kinds of people, one wanting what the flesh has to offer and the other wants what the spirit has. One wanting to be a king in this world and the other to be in God's kingdom.
     In one corner are those who live without a conscience and hurt others for selfish gain. Those who see empathy as a weakness and live in a cruel way. The intelligent ones who have no wisdom and create and do things that one should not. They are the ones who stand in the darkness with Satan.
     In another corner are those who have a conscience and are compassionate. Those who see empathy as a strength and help others. The intelligent ones who have wisdom and use their intelligence for the good of mankind. They are the ones who stand with God.
     Yes, there are two corners, God's or Satan's. I believe each of us need to be asking ourselves in which corner do I stand?