The Cure for the Other Outbreak we are Experiencing
The Cure for the Other Outbreak We are Experiencing
These are strange times – to say the least. Skip the political and pandemic issues – let’s just talk about what is happening among the people. Have you noticed? There is this outbreak that is happening, and it is spreading like a wildfire. It is scarier to me than everything else that is going on in our world. It is sure to cause pain and suffering on a grand scale.
What is this outbreak I am referring to today? It is the outbreak of self-centeredness. Have you experienced it? Customer service is at an all time low. Social media is filled with woe is me posts or in my opinion rants. Conversations are one-sided with people spewing their ideas, their daily activities and their problems. Even our thoughts are turning inward as we dwell on unmet expectations and our personal struggles. The country is divided. Marriages are faltering. Relationships are struggling. How do we stop this outbreak and find a little bit of joy?
Don’t laugh, but we all learned the antidote to self-centeredness in Bible school. JOY equals Jesus first, Others second and then Yourself. What we might be missing is the understanding of how we apply this in our everyday life. How do we live this out? How do we do this without becoming a doormat? Well – I don’t have all the answers, but I know who does. So… let’s dig into God’s word and talk about it.
Joy. What is it? It isn’t the same as happiness. Both are emotions, yet they are different. Happiness is a “state of well-being; a pleasurable or satisfying experience”. Joy is “to feel great delight; to be glad”. There are many scriptures about joy in the Bible (google it). As you read and study, you will find that our joy comes from the Lord. It really has nothing to do with our circumstances and everything to do with who He is and what He has done. So, no matter what is happening in our world, no matter how disappointed or mistreated we are, regardless of our happiness – joy can be ours!
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Joy. Unspeakable joy. Joy that is everlasting. We can have this type of joy. God fills us with joy and peace when we believe on Jesus and He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us. Why do we need help to have joy? Because we have an adversary who is out to steal our joy and he is pretty good at it. All he has to do is distract us from what we believe and get us to focus on what we feel – our disappointment, our pain, our circumstance. In other words – focus on our self. We are becoming a society that is filled with self-centeredness. While we may not think we are selfish, we just might be self-absorbed or full of self-pity. We spend too much mind space and breath focused on our self. The antidote is J.O.Y. Jesus first. Others second. Then finally You.
J = Jesus.
We hear it all the time, but first… Jesus. He is our Savior. He our Hope. He is everything! What if we put Him first? What if we loved Him with all of our heart, soul and mind? What if we started our day seeking Him first, living out His example and loving as He loves? Wow! That would make things a little different in our world, wouldn’t it?
We tend to object and say, “Yea, but…”. We can justify our behavior. We can make excuses. We can even blame others. But God’s word tells us over and over to put Him first. It is not a mere suggestion. It is to be our way of life.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:25
O = Others
It’s not about you. It’s really not. There are hundreds of Bible verses that tell us how to treat others. We are to love, serve, and be kind. We are to bear others’ burdens, listen to others, encourage, build them up, offer a helping hand, give to the needy, feed the hungry and more. We are to tell others about Jesus. We are to point them to Him. If we are always talking about ourselves – then how are we doing any of the aforementioned things?
Have you read recently the passage of Romans 12:9-21? In my Bible there is a sub-title above this passage that says, “Behave Like a Christian”. (When you have a few minutes, go back, copy this scripture and print it out. Read it daily.) There is nothing in this passage that tells us to seek our own way, spew our opinions, think we are better than others, offer advice though not requested, and force others to listen as we talk all about us. No – it says to be kind, put others before ourselves, give to the needs of others, bless those who persecute you, rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, be humble, not wise in your own opinion, see the good, live peaceably, give to those who hurt you, and overcome evil with good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. Romans 12:10
Y = You
We are to put Jesus first, others next and then yourself. We are not to be self-centered, but God centered. His way is best and the Holy Spirit is here to help us. He is waiting for us to choose to put our focus in the proper order. He is waiting for us to ask for His help. He is waiting for us to take steps toward this type of JOY.
Before you misunderstand – let me clarify. There are some pretty strong scriptures that tell us what God expects from us. They have nothing to do with having a victim mentality or being self-deprecating. It is not being weak to put Jesus and others before yourself – matter of fact – it takes great strength that can only come from above.
Putting Jesus and others before ourselves requires a renewing of our mind. Right thinking produces right actions. Our actions are actually the fruit of our thoughts. The truth is self-centeredness is immaturity and reveals the condition of our heart. We have all been there. We all go there from time to time – and as believers – we cannot stay there and honor God. You see… the proof of our surrender of self is in our recognizing self-centeredness, acknowledging self-centeredness, asking for forgiveness for our self-centeredness and then turning away from it – seeking the help of the Holy Spirit.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:3
Jesus – Others – You = the way to experience true Joy!
Here are some practical tips….
Every morning write J. O. Y. across the top of your To-Do list or Planner. Intentionally choose to live out your day for Jesus and others.
Spend time in God’s word daily and pray asking God to reveal to you where you express your selfishness, ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind - helping you lay your self-centered ways down.
Open your eyes and see others. Say hello, smile, ask about them. Learn to listen at least twice as much as you talk. Encourage and speak life into others.
Improve your communication, making sure others know that you care, that you are available to them, that you love them.
You will find that when you focus on who Jesus is and what He has done for you, when you set out to serve others and show them you care, when you focus less on yourself – your JOY will grow! Your delight will increase. And you will gain an eternal perspective that truly changes everything!
A word from Pam….
Hi friends! Thank you for reading this post. I have no words to express have honored I am to get to chat with you. We need one another to keep nudging each other to look up and keep moving forward in our relationship with Jesus. If you are looking for a resource to help you grow more intimate with Him, check out my book, Saved by Grace, Now What? It is available on the MWM Marketplace along with some pretty cute faith based tees.
Also, be sure to check out my It Matters Marketplace where every product purchased prompts a donation to an incredible cause and YOU earn REWARDS. Your Christmas shopping can help us shape the world by spreading the gospel, feeding the homeless, fighting human trafficking, proving soap & clean water, and so much more. Plus, there is FREE shipping on $75 orders for a limited time. Hop over there and check it out.
Have a great rest of the week!
P