Random Thoughts - You and Me

I've been reading this book in the last couple of weeks called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. I highly recommend every Christian read it. While reading through this book as well as certain passages in the Bible, I have been greatly impressed by two things. First, I am hopelessly selfish in my thoughts, words, and actions. I find that no matter how hard I try I cannot escape the desire for self-attention, self-satisfaction, and self-gratification. I could begin listing numerous examples but only to the effect of boring my readers. I have a problem that entwines my heart, working coercively to undermine every principle that Jesus fought to preserve and sometimes I even trick myself into the illusion that I've got it licked, only to remain a constant undercurrent in my daily struggle.

If I were to stop here, this would be a rather depressing blog entry, leaving a reader to wonder what in the world is going through this brain. But it doesn't end there...the second thing I have been impressed by...

God is hopelessly in love with me. Not only that, but in His everlasting mercy and compassion, He has provided the solution to my problem...my selfish thoughts, words, and deeds. He wants to put His likeness within me so that I may live a holy life for Him, a life of overflowing love to those around me. What I need to understand is that I was born with my problem and it permeates every portion of my being so it's not going to easily give way to selflessness. It's like when I get Christmas lights out every year. Somehow through spring, summer, and fall they manage to become a tangled mass that takes time to sort out. My selfishness is an even greater tangled mess that is going to take some time to untangle. God can do it, even though I cannot. So when I display my selfishness, instead of getting discouraged and choosing to continue in my selfishness because there's no way I can conquer it, I can have confidence in God that if I'm patient and if I'm willing, self will give way to love.