This devotional first appeared in https://www.islandsadventist.org
Scripture: Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. 1 Corinthians 10:12 (MSG)
Observation: Fall. Self-confidence is dangerous. This is illustrated in the case of Peter, who thought that nothing could cause him to swerve from his allegiance to Christ (see Mark 14:31, 50, 67, 68, 70–72). All should heed the warning and be on guard continually, lest they be deceived by the suggestion that they have reached such a state of spiritual strength that nothing can lead them to sin. True safety lies only in the recognition of one’s absolute helplessness apart from Christ, and the constant need of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to deliver from sin (see John 14:26; John 15:4–7; 16:7–11, 13; 2 Cor. 12:9, 10). The admonition to “take heed” needs to be repeated frequently, for man is easily convinced that he is well able to take care of himself. Spiritual pride is a great deception, one in which it is easy for the tempter to lead the self-confident believer to fall into grievous sin (cf. 2 Sam. 11:1–4; Rom. 11:20). The exhortation to be constantly on the alert against the danger of spiritual pride is particularly appropriate to those who live in this period of the world’s history, when men are confronted daily with multiplied allurements to indulge in gratification of the carnal appetites (see Luke 21:34–36). [The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 6. 1980 (F. D. Nichol, Ed.) (743–744). Review and Herald Publishing Association.]
Application: We live in a society that prices self-confidence. We hear messages everywhere that we need to believe in ourselves, that the solution to our problems lies within us. Even from pulpits we hear the prosperity gospel being proclaimed. While I don’t discount the fact that there’s much we can do to make positive changes, I also believe that we may at times become over confident and may try to take care of all our problems all by ourselves instead of recruiting the help that we need from others.
Richard and Rita Tate list nine warning signs your family may not be able to solve its own problems.
1. You Go over the Same Issues Again and Again with No Resolution or Closure.
2. Your Networking Is Not Working. Every attempt at reasonable conversation fails and ends with shouting, disregard, or someone walking out of the room with no-closure or resolution.
3. There Is Physical and/or Emotional Abuse.
4. You Pretend to Respect a Family Member Whom You Do Not Really Respect. One dysfunctional family member rules the rest of the family, usually by fear.
5. You’re Afraid to Say Certain Things in Your Family. When you don’t feel comfortable sharing your feelings and thoughts without being demeaned, criticized, or bullied, something is terribly wrong.
6. You Deny, Excuse, or Choose to Ignore the Signs of Problems Such as Drug or Alcohol Abuse.
7. You Have a Recurring Wish That You Were out of Your Family or Had Never Come into it at All.
8. No One Admits a Problem, Yet Everyone Knows it Exists.
9. You Ignore or Excuse Signs of Bad Behavior in a Family Member. Bullying, giving orders, pulling rank, verbal abuse, arrogance, and indifference to the feelings of others are signs of this malady.
Sometimes we can’t fix things ourselves. It is at those times we need to seek outside help before our marriage or our family falls apart.
A Prayer You May Say: Father God, help us to recognize when we need help and to look for it before it is too late for our marriage or our family.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
