The way up is down...

A few weeks ago I heard a Pastor speaking about being brought low by God in order for him then to bring us to the high places and have abundant life...that's paraphrased-he said it much better! Anyway, in reading a devotional book this morning that theme re-emerged, here is a snippet of it...

"...Our culture is obsessed with being whole and feeling good. That drive affects even the way we view the Christian life. We want a "painless Pentecost"; we want a "laughing" revival. We want the resurrection without going through the grave; we want life without experiencing death. But in God's economy, the way up is down.

You and I will never meet God in revival until we first meet Him in brokenness. James 4:8-10 is a message today's men and women are not eager to hear. We want to know how to be happy and whole, how to feel better about ourselves and our lives. We think we need someone to make us happy. But God's Word says, 'No, before you can get close to God, you have to find the highway of lowliness.' We want to lift ourselves up. But He says, 'No, humble yourself and I will lift you up.'

Lord, forgive me for seeking an easy life. Help me understand that without your mercy and grace, I have no chance of surviving spiritually. Teach me to humble myself before you and learn what it means to be desperate for you." (Nancy Leigh DeMoss)