As we have dug deeper and deeper into walking with and in God’s Spirit I have tried to share with you some of the key elements that (I believe) will have a significant impact on your character. During your spiritual walk with God, he takes your genetics and cultural influences and magnifies them with His Spirit. What happens is a multiplication of all those elements brought together. Plainly, God uses His Spirit to enlarge and enhance the natural creation by moving what the world may call ordinary into something extraordinary

Anytime the extraordinary occurs, people notice. It doesn’t matter whether it involves large or small groups – it’s still the same principle, it’s natural and you should not be surprised. The challenge is keeping it in context and making sure that whatever God chooses to multiply in your life, the event or circumstances do not change the essence of the person. You must realize that whatever brought about the circumstances for you to be viewed at an elevated level was because God provided you with the knowledge, wisdom and understanding necessary – AND, did so at a time when He also granted you favor with those watching. It was a combination of multiple dynamics, both of which were directly dependent on God’s gifts and grace to you.

What most of us have a challenge with is keeping it in perspective. Each of us have streaks of insecurity and find comfort in being assured and reassured of our “value.” If you are wise, you will discover that each time we receive those assurances, especially if we have people pleasing tendencies, we will need a stronger affirmation of that value. What most people find is that they feel a need to do something bigger and better than last time to achieve stronger and stronger affirmation. This is how addiction begins and proliferates. We can see that Jesus saw this challenge approaching after feeding the 5000 and the crowds having the desire to forcefully make Him King (John 6:15). His answer was to retreat so He could keep things in perspective knowing that daily attention was needed to maintain humility.

I have observed many people, including myself take a single event out of their lives and “enlarge it.” It’s human nature. When we do this, we are looking for approval when our identity should be resting in the fact that we are God’s child, He loves us, died for us and called us to eternal life – and, that should be enough. If He does not value one person above another, then none of our achievements in life position us for a greater or lesser place in His Kingdom. We must get over ourselves. That can only be done if we have close intimate relationships with believers who hold us accountable for our lives and the decisions we make.

Ambition in and of itself is not wrong. God provides this mindset to help us achieve the objectives He has for us in our lives. Ambition can drive us to accomplishing the desires of our heart that God placed there before the foundations of the Earth were laid. However, ambition can lead to any or all of the seven deadly sins which all have their foundation in pride. And, pride is simply having too much emphasis on ourselves and not what we were created to do as it applies to God’s Kingdom.

I encourage you to meditate on and think about the concept of humility. Maintaining a humble spirit is not always easy. What most people don’t realize is that those who may display the most insecure personalities can be the most prideful and ambitious. Think about that today and we will readdress the concept tomorrow.

Love Dad