Reflection...

Isaiah 47:7  You said, "I am forever--the eternal queen!"  But you did not consider these things or reflect on what might happen.

We all do it.  We are selfish.  We think of ourselves as the most important.  We consider ourselves king or queen.  And we don't consider others or what the consequences of our actions might be.  I often think about how I need to let the Holy Spirit guide every. single. moment of my life, every. single. decision.  every. single. word that comes out of my mouth.   Why is this so hard?  Why is turning to God in prayer and allowing the Holy Spirit in not the first thing I do?

Paul says in Romans 7:15  I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do.

He talks about being a slave to sin.  This world is taken over by sin.  It's why we need Jesus.  Why I need Jesus.  I need Him to wash away my sin, cast is as far as the east is from the west.  I need to be on my knees in thankfulness for His grace covering me.  And only on my knees have I realized that selfishness gets me nowhere.  If I am the first thing I think of, then I am not loving God first, and certainly not my neighbor second.  So, how do I put God and others first?  How do I make myself consider the future when I am making decisions, which I talk?

I don't have an easy answer for this.  But here are some things I know work:  be in The Word.  Covering myself and my heart in the truth of God's Word softens me to others and opens me to His leading.  Pray.  Talk to God about anything and everything before I talk any first or next steps.  Make these things habits, so they are second nature and an ingrained part of me.  This is the hard thing for me.  Picking up my Bible every single day?  Praying through everything?  Doing these things habitually takes practice and reminders, and many times I fail.  I just don't even do them, don't even consider doing them...  My selfish heart...  And so, I practice...  and I fall down... and I get up and I practice some more.