Dear Ones,
Psalm 23:3 “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
Philip Keller observes a third important attitude to cultivate as we follow our Shepherd into righteous ruts!
3. Instead of insisting on my rights, I am willing to forego them in favor of others.”
Here is a practical attitude from the direct teachings of our Lord Jesus to deny yourself in Mark 8:34.
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”
Are we willing to give up our “rights” for the benefit of others? If we do, we demonstrate a sincere desire to follow in the footsteps of our Savior. Self-assertion is highly regarded in our modern world as it was in the ancient world. We are often frustrated when we do not get what we imagine we deserve. We live our lives in a prison of constant disappointments! How free would you be if you chose the back seat and served another’s interests?
As you travel down the path of following Jesus today, seek to look to the needs of others. Ask God to fill you will joy as you serve Him by serving others!
Be encouraged,
Pastor Rick John