19 Jan All About Me

This week’s sermon has had a few days to marinate now, to sink into my thoughts, and I noticed something.

Every time I became slightly frustrated, irritated, or bothered in the last few days, there is a trend. It is usually all about me. It’s about how someone or something is going against my agenda or what I’m hoping to accomplish.

While I recognize these small annoyances are not necessarily sinful, I am realizing more and more just how much I am thinking about and focusing on myself. When we let ourselves become the focus of our thoughts, that is when pride takes root in our hearts.

For example, the dog had an accident in the house…. now I have to clean it up and I’m running behind already. My dryer isn’t working… now I won’t have that cute outfit ready to wear to work tomorrow. My boss changed my schedule at the last minute… now I can’t go out with the girls this weekend.

It’s all about perspective. When these little annoyances and frustrations arise in our daily lives, they can sometimes get the best of us and our attitudes. But when we step back, and take a moment to think about it in the grand scheme of things, it is eye opening to see how self centered we can be. Particularly if what you’re focusing on has nothing to do with anyone other than yourself.

“When we are focusing on ourselves, we miss opportunities to serve the Lord and each other.”

I pray as we move forward in this new sermon series as a church, and as women, that we would grow in thinking of others before ourselves. That is what we are called to do as believers. Our thoughts should not be preoccupied with me, me, me. When we are focusing on ourselves, we miss opportunities to serve the Lord and each other.

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Reflect back on the last few days of this week. What are some things that have frustrated you or irritated you? Was it about you or someone else? How did you react? What are some ways you can actively think more about the well being of others rather than yourself?

– Catie Chance, Anderson