This week was Spiritual Renewal at Taylor, and Rodney VanSolkema preached through the story of Joseph and his brothers. I learned a lot about conquering pride and temptation.
As you might know (if you have kept up with my blogging), I struggle a great deal with pride. I was so thrilled to hear new ways to conquer my pride. His example came from Genesis 37, where Joseph is proud of his coat and dreams. Rodney shared that Joseph could not overcome pride without being in the pit. Joseph could not have overcome his pride unless he had been thrown into a pit and sold into slavery. This is too true. It is easy for me when I undergo stressful situations or what I feel to be hopeless situations to feel like I don't deserve it. What an example of my pride! I don't deserve the pit? Yeah right! God has given me pits, so that I can find humility. I need to recognize that I deserve the pit and nothing else!
As for temptation, Rodney gave the example in Genesis 39 of Joseph running from Potiphar's wife. She threw herself at him day after day, yet he still refused her. It was not easy, but he had to say no. He knew what was right, and he chose to follow Christ over his own desires. Psalm 119 talks about loving the Lord's commands, rather than just grudgingly following them. I want to choose to say no to temptation, no matter how difficult it is. I want to love the Lord's commands and long to follow them always. Temptation, bring it on! God's on my side, and he can transform me.
God, only through you can I overcome my pride.
Only you can help me flee from temptation.
Give me confidence and security in you.
Help me to fall in love with your commands.
I really liked this! Awesome to see what all you learned over the spiritual renewal week! I also liked what you had to say about temptation! Awesome blog entry :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Joshua! Hope to see another entry from you soon! :)
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