By Grace Through Faith

This period of my life as I am living in Birmingham is really the first time in my life where I’m fully on my own and trying to meet all my needs and be self-sufficient. I’m learning many new things like being a homeowner, working my first full-time job, budgeting my finances, and managing my time well.

I think part of where pride has come into this period is my desire or expectation to be perfect by myself. I want to do all those things well and live self-sufficiently. I think because our culture in America has ingrained in us that that is the norm.

Pride can be displayed through our actions in various ways, but it is rooted in our fallen desire to be like God. Our want to be self-sufficient or independent can lead us to believing that we can do all things through ourselves. We “don’t want the help” from others because “we can do it on our own”.

However, I am walking through a period where I am being reminded that I am not on my own. I wasn’t expected to be perfect, nor will I be. We will continue to fail repeatedly as long as we are on this earth because of our human nature.

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” – Matthew 13:31-32

The journey to growth and maturity in this life is a long, slow journey. It doesn’t happen overnight or in a few days. Just like a mustard seed takes time to grow into a large tree, God works in us slowly and continues to grow us over time in maturity.

But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand. – Isaiah 64:8

As a child of God, we cannot do anything greater or higher than what God can do. He is the Creator, and we are a part of His creation. The clay does not get to tell the Potter what to do nor can it be formed into an object on its own.

“…the essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.” – Timothy Keller, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness

I hope this encourages you today in knowing that you are not alone, and you do not have to place so many pressures or expectations on yourself. Christ has shown His great love for us by His death on the cross. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit at work in us that strengthens us and restores us.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. – 1 Peter 5:10

With love,

Claire