Have you been infected by “selfism”? Christian psychologist Dr. Paul Vitz feels that much of what today’s mental health professionals tell their clients is pure narcissism, egoism, and the worship of self. People are counseled to become “self-actualized,” to bow at the altar of humanism. But when hard stuff in life happens, suddenly that altar begins to crumble.
When tough times come – when people get bad news from the doctor, or when someone they love dies – all the optimistic, self-focused hot air that’s been pumped into them suddenly escapes. You can almost hear them shriek, “But suffering isn’t supposed to be part of my self-actualization!”
Jesus wasn’t motivated by “selfism.” He accepted suffering as part of God’s perfect plan. Open an concordance and you’ll find many references to His willingness to suffer on our behalf. (Matthew 16:21, Mark 9:12, Luke 24:26, Acts 26:23 is a partial list.)
Jesus did suffer and die, but He rose again! There was joy in the morning, the third day. There was purpose in the pain. Selfism doesn’t understand this reality. It teaches people to do everything possible – emotionally, mentally, physically – to push suffering aside and seek goals of personal fulfillment. God’s goals for you and me will include suffering.
Peter, who saw Jesus suffer and who experienced great hardships himself, wrote these words: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Who do we endure suffering? It’s about faith. A faith which God is growing within us. A healthy, strong, humble faith is a cure for the infection of selfism. – Tom Felten
REFLECTION
How is Jesus using my current problems to draw me close to Himself? Why is it important for me to
suffer in this life? RESOURCE : The Lord is my Shepherd www.discoveryseries.org/hp952
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." Today Verses : 1 Peter 1:3-7
When tough times come – when people get bad news from the doctor, or when someone they love dies – all the optimistic, self-focused hot air that’s been pumped into them suddenly escapes. You can almost hear them shriek, “But suffering isn’t supposed to be part of my self-actualization!”
Jesus wasn’t motivated by “selfism.” He accepted suffering as part of God’s perfect plan. Open an concordance and you’ll find many references to His willingness to suffer on our behalf. (Matthew 16:21, Mark 9:12, Luke 24:26, Acts 26:23 is a partial list.)
Jesus did suffer and die, but He rose again! There was joy in the morning, the third day. There was purpose in the pain. Selfism doesn’t understand this reality. It teaches people to do everything possible – emotionally, mentally, physically – to push suffering aside and seek goals of personal fulfillment. God’s goals for you and me will include suffering.
Peter, who saw Jesus suffer and who experienced great hardships himself, wrote these words: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Who do we endure suffering? It’s about faith. A faith which God is growing within us. A healthy, strong, humble faith is a cure for the infection of selfism. – Tom Felten
REFLECTION
How is Jesus using my current problems to draw me close to Himself? Why is it important for me to
suffer in this life? RESOURCE : The Lord is my Shepherd www.discoveryseries.org/hp952
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." Today Verses : 1 Peter 1:3-7
