Read Ephesians 2:1-3 Whether or not I want to admit it, I’ve realized over the last several years that I’m a pretty selfish person. Whether it’s hating lines, having to do things I don’t want to do, having a desire to keep money to myself instead of being generous with it, or a thousand other little ways that I’m selfish in my marriage, with family, at work, or even just walking down the street. Selfishness is often the default mode for me. It has been since I was born, and I’m not alone. But, God has offered us a different way to live. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul tells us that we were once dead in our transgressions and sins. Our sins had separated us from God, and we lived this way because we were following the pattern of this world. There’s a spirit of selfishness that dominates this life, and we’ve all lived in that same way. We’ve spent our time gratifying our own selfish desires and allowing that selfishness to fuel how we think and what we do. Because of this, we were deserving of God’s punishment. The good news is that God sent Jesus to die on the cross to forgive us of our sins and to give us a better way to live. The problem, though, is that many of us still get tangled up with the desires of the flesh. We get focused on satisfying our desires and forget that we are made new in Christ. We forget that we are supposed to be generous servants toward God and the people He has put in our lives. If you hate to give, it’s because you are still gratifying the cravings of the flesh. Generosity goes against our nature. We want to take care of ourselves, but God wants us to learn to lean on Him to take care of us. Reflect Generosity is not a money issue. It’s a heart issue. Where’s your heart when it comes to generosity? Pray Talk to God today about your selfishness. Not just when it comes to money, but every aspect of your life. You’re probably much more selfish than you realize. Ask God to help you follow His pattern of selflessness instead of the selfish pattern of the world. // TWO-A-DAYS // GO A LITTLE FARTHER WITH YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONS // Go through these questions with your spouse, kids, or friend, or you can even journal about the answers to these questions:
- What was the best part of your day?
- What was the toughest part of your day?
- Where did you mess up today?
- Where did you see God today?
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