Holly: We've listened to a fair share of sermons over the 5+ years we've been at Berea Baptist, but this one sort of hit us upside the head today. Maybe it's what I need. Maybe it's what we all need, but there's one message that I feel so compelled to share, so...yeah. It's going out there, and I apologize if I offend anyone, but in a society that is so bent on dictating what we as humans should act, feel, do, etc, well yeah, I want to say something about that.
The sermon today was about pride. Yep, pride. Something we ALL struggle with, and if you say otherwise, you're full of it. Most of us have a pretty good idea of what pride looks like, but there was another aspect of it that I hadn't thought of before, and that's what I'm going to share today: We live in a society where nothing measures up. Women my age (and younger and younger, sadly) are not pretty enough, smart enough, skinny enough, successful enough, you name it. But one of the points in the sermon this morning was that when we "beat ourselves up" for our flaws, we are committing a form of pride. One of the definitions given for pride, in this context anyway, was "an unwillingness to see oneself in correct relation to God." Guys, God loves us so much. He sees us as his precious children, his beloved son and daughter, his treasure, the apple of His eye. He created us to be just that: us. That's why I make it a point to not get so hung up over my flaws...because I feel like in a way I'm (and I hate to use the harsh terms) smacking God in the face. And when I see my peers ashamed, frustrated, disappointed with themselves, it breaks my heart. You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. Now I'm not saying I've completely abandoned the self-bashing; trust me, I haven't. I'm working on it too. But instead of wishing for something better, let's try to thank God for what we do have. I got out of bed this morning. I'm breathing freely. I had sushi for lunch. I listened to some beautiful songs from the Doctor Who soundtrack. I was able to clap my hands and sing during church. Turns out we are a lot more blessed than we realize.
Kelly: Having missed church last week, I was really glad to be back. And after a pretty crazy work week, I was very happy to hear this sermon. Not that I'm ever disappointed, but this. This was a take on an age old issue that I had never heard before. But pride; I knew in the back of my head that when it started that this was something I struggled with. Like Holly, the same part that stuck with her stuck with me too. I had never really thought of "beating ourselves up" in that way before...being prideful. The sermon said though that a healthy love for oneself is not sinful, but I think that when it starts getting out of hand is when it becomes so. And I think it doesn't have to be a healthy oneself for it to be prideful, but it can be an unhealthy detest too. But as for me, I have high expectations for myself. Lord knows I goof up and mess up...constantly. I find myself beating myself up when things don't work out or when something happens on my watch at work and on and on and on and on. Before I found my job, I would feel despondent at times and not want to do anything because I was just really down. I felt guilty for feeling the way I did, but I told myself it was normal. I felt guilty at the end of the day and told myself I should have kept looking for jobs. I asked myself why I wasn't getting hired; what was wrong with me?
Turned out God had a bigger plan than what I expected. He has reminded me time after time; that even though I am not perfect I am perfect in His image. This is easier said than done, because I understand that sometimes things or situations or people just really get you down. But I am speaking for experience when I take the focus off myself and turn it around back to God, the day, the moments and the every day wear and grind of whatever goes by so much easier. I pray every time I go into to work. Often I ask God to get me out of the way so that others would see Him instead of me. I was created by God and for God, and His word is the final word. Period. This is a challenge I am going to try for myself; to remember that God is God and I am not. I do not measure up to anyone else, even myself. Especially myself. I hope our other Christ following readers will be challenged and encouraged as well.
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