Pridefulness and Comparison

I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Now, O LORD, deliver me from me!!

I SHALL NOT WANT

From the love of my own comfort.

From the fear of having nothing.

From a life of worldly passions.

Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood.

From the need to be accepted.

From the fear of being lonely.

Deliver me O God

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.

From the fear of serving others.

From the fear of death or trial.

From the fear of humility.

Deliver me O God

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.

This song was released in 2013. I first heard it several weeks ago at the camp we attended. I have sung this song almost every day. It shattered me.

How many times have the words in the verses been so true in my life?

Deliver me from me, O God!

Many pastors preach wisdom from God’s Word, but we may not know these pastors personally or the lives they live. The moment when God reaches me the most is when He magnifies a verse when I am meditating on His word, or when He speaks a profound word through someone that I know or know their life well.

Sometimes a person has spoken words to me, but I sense their discriminative motive. They are expressing those words through their own hurts, trials, and baggage.

In the last four years, two different people have blessed me with a loving, convicting word. It’s not that I haven’t heard these principles before. These two people touched me more because I knew the transparent, God-honoring lives they lead.

The first friend left me with one final life message a few months before he went to heaven.

Don’t let pride get in the way.

That phrase has become a plumb line by that I measure my actions.

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;” (Isaiah 28:17a/NIV).

The other, new friend, simply said, don’t compare. How many times have I heard that?

…nonetheless…

Because she has a severe disability, has had several surgeries, has suffered significant permanent loss, and continues to have medical issues… she doesn’t compare herself to those who have had fewer trials or more trials… she just trusts God. Period.

The next time you feel you deserve more comfort because of all the trials that you have experienced…

When you yearn to be accepted and understood and feel you need to justify yourself…

When you feel like life has not been fair…

Just cry out to God. Deliver me, O God! If your heart is fully committed, those personal “me” things will no longer matter. You will genuinely taste the goodness of God.

I have seen the goodness of God so many times in my life… even in the most tragic times. It’s the reason I am writing the book so you too can see times in your life, that you may not have even noticed. God has been with you always.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

Do you have words of gratitude to write? How many times have words that were written years ago, decades ago, or even centuries ago, challenged you or convicted you, or brought joy to your heart? Write it down… and remember them during the tough times.