If you want to have a higher faith, then you must become more selfless. We are all naturally selfish, though some struggle with this more than others. Don’t judge where someone else is at with their selfishness but ask the Lord to show you where you need to change.
You won’t be something for God until you’re willing to be nothing for Him. “In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too” (Philippians 2:3-4 ERV).
In our flesh, we are selfish. We seek to please our flesh in a hundred ways and place this pleasure above the needs of others. We certainly need to attend to the “needs” of our bodies, but it is the “wants” that we obsess over the most that keep us from caring about others.
The worst thing you can do to yourself is to only think of yourself. “Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil” (James 3:16 GNT).
The Holy Spirit is always guiding us to live spiritual lives. Walking in the spirit is always walking more in line with the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is, by nature, selfless and thinking of the needs of others. The more spiritual growth you have, the more selfless you will be.
The more selfless you are, the more that God can fill you. “…understand what the will of the Lord is… be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17-18 NKJV).
Selfishness is not easily conquered because we try to do it ourselves. The problem is we conspire with ourselves to meet our selfish needs and then call them something different. Even in our service to the Lord, we can pursue it with only selfish interests in mind.
Selfless prayers are the purest requests made known to God. “…pray for one another, that you may be healed…” (James 5:16 NKJV).
Most of us think of ourselves as far more selfless than we really are. We think about ourselves and our circumstances far more than we consider what those around us are going through. We spend more time tending to ourselves and very little time even thinking about the needs of others.
How many degrees do you need to turn to be headed straight toward God? “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Psalm 119:36-37 NIV).
If you ever wonder just how selfish you are, consider the conversations you have with others. Do you spend all the time talking about yourself and only listening so you can go on to the next thing about yourself? Selflessness listens more than it speaks.
The greatest deliverance for man is from himself. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23 NKJV).
We are experts at seeing the selfishness in others, especially when it gets in the way of our own selfishness. The person who is selfless is not bothered by the selfish but only wants to please their God in heaven. Selflessness is not bothered by selfishness.
If you must obsess with the faults of someone, let it be your own. Jesus taught us, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3 NKJV).
Being selfless does not mean the selfish can take advantage. Selflessness considers the needs of others, but it doesn’t condone the manipulation others may engage in. Selfish people seek to gain more and give less, and we don’t have to give in to them to remain selfless.
Never be surprised when someone crosses a boundary that you never established. “A day will come for rebuilding your walls; on that day your boundary will be extended” (Micah 7:11 HCSB).
Selflessness gives much and doesn’t expect anything in return. They bless others and are themselves blessed because of it. In contrast, the selfish are takers and rarely give anywhere near what they are taking. They will return a penny on the dollar and then think themselves the wiser.
Givers always have plenty, and takers never have enough. “One who gives to the poor will never lack anything, but one who shuts his eyes will have many curses” (Proverbs 28:27 NASB).
If you want to grow higher in your faith, then ask the Lord to reveal your selfishness in every area of your life. In your relationships and in your career, be willing to see that dark side of your living. In your conversations, learn to listen without responding.
Once you give up the right to yourself, it is there that Christ can use you. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]’” (Matthew 16:24 AMP).
Until you start to consider the needs and feelings of others, you are only focused on yourself. You may think yourself shrewd in your dealings, but the Lord sees right through into your heart. The more selfish you are, the less the Lord will ever give you.
How we treat others determines how God will treat us. “Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy. Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. Don’t condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you” (Luke 6:36-38 ERV).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him…”
The Call cannot be apprehended apart from the Life, The Life cannot be known apart from the cross… Deep waters flow from broken hearts…
Appreciate the share…
Blessings to you and your family
BT
Oh my goodness, I just love what you wrote! The Cross is something that is looked at by many but experienced by the few. So many want the resurrection power but don’t want to go through the crucified life to be resurrected from. How silly we will see ourselves someday in heaven, when we look back and see ourselves holding on to what should be crucified and not taking hold of all that the Lord had for us. Blessngs to you, your family and your ministry. Paul
Unless the Lord saves me from my selfishness in all its insidious intentions and many manifestations, I shall never be saved from the sickness of selfishness; I am a struggling, selfish sinner seeking sanctification. He is altogether able, I altogether am not actually able. To His superscendent, splendorous Self belongs all the beauty, honor and power of selflessness, surely including my surrender, my submission, my co-operation with the operation of Himself working in me and through me, both to will and to do of His perfect pleasure. Philippians 2:13 Such shall be my salvation from selfishness and His ministry of munificence and might through me, even me, to the praise of His generous grace and great glory.
I agree so much with you, that on our own power we have very little ability to overcome what is wrong within us. We need something outside us, and something far stronger and more capable than us, and that is only possible through the Lord Himself. All we can do is surrender and until we do that we have surely lost the war.