Day 23......how we grow?

Grow up. There's good advice. It's amazing, that self-centeredness is not an easy root to kill. It seems it's gone, and then "pop" there's another one popping through the soil of my mind. It's like a weed or even a nice plant that you plant. It's nice and pretty and seems to compliment your home, but then it starts to take over. It grows in areas where you don't want it to grow. So you take a hoe to clean the area, and you're quite satisfied when they're all gone. But you get busy and forget about it for a few days, and the next thing you know the infestation has reoccurred. It's an unending battle until you decide to dig up everything in that area. You do, and now it's clean. Then maybe a week or even a month later somehow another one pops up. You were sure you got everything......how is this possible?

That's somehow how I feel about self-centeredness. I'm sure I have it licked and it rears its ugly head. Praise God that there are more days in between the manifestations. Rather than daily, it's more of a weekly or bi-weekly problem. I cannot wait for the day when it's a monthly problem and then not at all. In order for my mind to be transformed I know I need to monitor what I pump into it. Garbage in, garbage out so to speak. Why is it folks are dedicated to finding out what's in the foods they eat, but could care less about what they watch on TV or listen to? I'm not saying you have to throw out your TV, and radio......but just make good choices. You'll know in your spirit when what you're watching is trying to ruin your fellowship with the Father. If it mocks Him or curses His name why watch it?

"What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?"

Man, that's a hard one. I think it may be in the area of leadership. Many times I know what to do, and how to do it, but I don't for fear it will alienate folks, or offend them in some way. I know that ultimately some decisions are not going to please everyone, and I need to be willing to be unpopular at times to do what needs to be done. Much like a parent, I can't always be the "good" guy. 10 minutes from now I'll probably think of something better, but that's all that comes to mind now. :-) James