Arrogance

He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. – Job 35

Job’s friend is unloading on him. Finger shaking, voice raised. Maybe a little cadence like a preacher getting fired up. Why does God not answer? One simple reason: arrogance.

I run across people who have no use for God. That is, until something bad happens. Then everyone becomes praying people. “We are praying, but God doesn’t seem to be doing anything.” I want to look at them and say “Why would he? You had no use for him when you had things under control. In your arrogance you had no use for him.” Then, I think of my life.

“God,” I say “where are you in the middle of my crisis?”

I am then drawn to look at the arrogance in my life. When I have things under control, my desire for God goes down. The higher my dependence on myself, the less my need for God. The larger my arrogance, the smaller my capacity for my creator.

Less of me, more of you. God, If more of you means less arrogance on my part, I want to be done with myself. What would it be like to be totally done with myself and totally dependent on you.?

I think I may be finding that out over the course of next week in this journey of fasting. In a conversation with Amber Gentry yesterday I was sharing my concerns on fasting. She later wrote an email: “it’s about what God can do, not what you can do.”

Amber speaks from experience. She is at day 33 on a 40-day fast.

I feel my arrogance slipping away. It is an old friend that has been around for some time now. Kicking it out will not be easy.

[tags]arrogance, fasting, devotions, Bible, Job, God, praying, spirituality[/tags]

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