April 28. 2010

The things that Gideon did, and that happened to his family, after he fought off the Midianites are very instructive to me.  It's too easy to let it go to our head when God uses us.  Now, I can't be sure this is what happened to him, but that's the application I see in it for me.  God can use us mightily, but if we don't let God deal with our self-nature issues, our pride can most certainly cause us, and others, to stumble. 

It's particularly dangerous if a person makes lots of money from whatever anointing they may have received, or gain lots of fame and attention from people.  Human beings don't deal very well with these things.  So many people seem to go off the deep end when they're super-successful, whether or not they started out with God.   I dealt with some of that stuff a long time ago (in my miniscule brush with fame), and I may have talked about that a little, I can't remember.  But I am very glad that the Lord has seen fit to keep me hidden from view for a very long time, while He's worked through so many messed-up things in me, to form Christ in me.  I'd like to stay totally hidden until "it's no longer I that lives, but Christ who lives in me."  But really, it's up to the Lord as to what He wants to do with us.  My choice would be to stay out of view, but I wouldn't have much influence that way, and it would probably be like burying the talents or hiding the lamp under a bushel. 

All I can say is, we've got to stay humble and not get a big head when He does something through us.  It's His power and ability, not ours.

Jesus statement on the cross says it all to me, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."  It's not until we can love God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength-- and trust Him enough to let go--that we can ever get over our self.