From the time we are born, most of us are self-centered. As infants, we cry to have our needs met: to be held, fed, changed, entertained, and comforted. As children, we cry, pout, and pitch temper tantrums to get what we want, when we want it, and how we want it.
In our teenage years, our self-centeredness crescendos as we navigate from childhood on our way to adulthood. Our ideas and our opinions become our rock-solid truth while the ideas and opinions of others (especially parents) are deemed ridiculous and out-of-touch. We seek our own direction, we make our choices based on what makes us happy, and we live in the moment assuming that our fantastical dreams of a successful, happily-ever-after are positively guaranteed.
And then adulthood hits like a falling boulder in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Our self-centeredness is never satisfied, never fulfilled like we expected it to be. Sure, we have lives that may include a loving spouse, wonderful children, and even adoring grandchildren. We may have been fortunate to land a rewarding career that provides well. We may enjoy the company of great friends and experience new adventures.
But adulthood comes with responsibilities, challenges, and unavoidable changes. These often get in the way of our self-centeredness. And we become tempted to pacify or indulge in other things that we think will fulfill us. They never do.
“Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, introduced the concept of the ego as one of the three components of the human psyche, along with the id and the superego. Freud described the ego as the executive branch of the mind, responsible for mediating between the desires of the id (the primitive and instinctual part of the mind) and the moral and societal constraints imposed by the superego.”[i]
That’s a bit deep for our conversation, so here is a simple explanation. “In general, the concept of ego refers to a person’s sense of self, their individuality, and their conscious awareness of their own existence. It can also refer to a person’s self-esteem or self-importance.”i
The problem with self-importance or an ego-driven life is that we weren’t created to live that way. We were created to serve God, our Creator, worship Jesus, our Savior, and respond to the Holy Spirit, our Helper. We were designed with a void that can only be satisfactorily filled with a relationship with God.
Many of us know God; we may know a lot about God, but He wants more than that.
Today, we begin a new study, a new way of thinking. Experiencing God by Henry, Richard, and Mike Blackaby, and Claude V. King. Whether you’re a new Christian or your name was written in the Book of Life many years ago, you should never stop growing in your relationship with Him. There’s a difference between knowing God and experiencing God. “You may have been frustrated in your Christian experience because you know God has a more abundant life for you than you have experienced so far. Perhaps you have been a believer for many years, but your Christian life has become dry and monotonous.”[ii]
Maybe you can’t relate to having a dry and monotonous relationship with God. Maybe you are experiencing growth in your relationship with Him. That’s great if that’s how it is for you at this moment. But do you think it’s fair to say that we should always be growing and maturing in our experiences with God? “Do you want to experience God? Is your heart prepared for what He may say?”[iii]
I’ll be the first to admit that it’s frightening and intimidating to think what God may want me to do. I like to be comfortable, don’t you? I like familiarity and routine. I like being in control of my schedule, my surroundings, and situations. But that’s not really a faith-based life, is it? If I’m to follow Jesus, I like to know the who, what, when, where, why, and outcome of it all. I’m all about sitting down with a fully detailed spreadsheet so that I understand exactly what is to be expected before I take that first step.
God doesn’t operate like that. God told Abram, “Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1) God didn’t share Abram’s destination; in fact, He didn’t even say head to the North, South, East, or West! He just instructed Abram to leave. And “Abram went, as the Lord had told him.”
Who does that?! One who has an intimate, trusting, and loving relationship with the Father, that’s who.
Abram is just one of many real-life individuals in the Bible who experienced God by walking by faith and not by sight. Malachi 3:6 tells us that God never changes. The same God who invited Abram, Moses, and Noah among many others is that same God who invites ordinary people just like you and me today. Are we listening? Are we watching? Are we willing?
Abram was 75 when he packed up to move. We’re told he went willingly and without prying for more information.
Moses was a bit resistant at the burning bush because he felt inadequate to carry out the task God had for him. He had a lot of excuses, and a lot of insecurity because Moses’ perception was self-focused. God equipped Moses and accompanied him so that Moses learned to be dependent on God and not on himself.
Noah was given very detailed instructions on how to build an ark and what to take with him. Noah was obedient and did everything the Lord commanded. Noah did so without ever having experienced a flood or even a solitary raindrop.
If you had to identify with one of these three, who would it be? I’m going to take a wild guess and say most of us would pick Moses. Whether we want to admit it or not, we’re ego-driven. We’re self-focused. Our days revolve around our own agendas. Our speech is peppered with “me, myself, and I”. Our decisions and choices are based on what brings us the most pleasure and comfort. Our only perception is our own. Even when we attempt to include God in our day-to-day lives, we go about it the wrong way.
“What is God’s will for my life? is not the right question. I think the proper question is, What is God’s will? Once I know God’s will then I can adjust my life to Him. In other words, what is it God is purposing to accomplish where I am? Once I know what God is doing, then I know what I need to do. The focus needs to be on God, not on my life!”ii
Let me guess – your world just got rocked a bit, didn’t it? Mine too! You see, God wants us to leggo the ego! He wants us to EG (no ‘o”) – Experience God!
Romans 1:20 EASY “20 Ever since God made the world, he has been showing people clearly about himself. We cannot see God. But the things that he has made show us clearly what he is like. We can understand his great power that continues for ever. We can know that he is the true God. So there is no reason for anyone to say, ‘We could not know about God.’
21 Those people really knew about God. But they did not respect him as a great God, and they did not thank him. They did not even think clearly any more. Their minds became confused and they did not understand God’s message. 22 They said that they were wise, but really they became fools.”
We fool ourselves into thinking that what we do on our own is enough and that as long as we are considered “good” by the world’s standards, we’re golden. We busy ourselves helping others, fixing others, and rushing in to save the day for others. We don’t wear a cape, but we certainly don’t mind feeling good about ourselves and what we accomplish.
Spoiler alert – It’s not about you! It’s not about me! It’s about Him! “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 AMP)
That’s difficult for us. William Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts”[iv]
I’m going to take that a step further and make the claim that we are sometimes called to be a supporting cast member, sometimes an extra with no lines, and sometimes we are merely needed behind the scenes, but we are never the main character. God is!
We were created and we are given breath to worship and adore Him Who saves us. Colossians 1:16 GNT “For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him.”
There are seven realities of experiencing God. A God-focused and egoless life acknowledges and submits to all seven realities.
1.God is always at work around you.
2.God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3.God invites you to come involved with Him in His work.
4.God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
5.God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6.You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7.You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you.ii
“Are you just trying to live a good life? Because you’ll never be good enough!”iii
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:5 CSB
[i] Origin of the Word Ego: A Fascinating Exploration – Symbol Genie
[ii] Experiencing God by Henry, Richard, and Mike Blackaby, Claude V. King
[iii] Pastor Mel Blackaby
[iv] Speech: “All the world’s a stage” | The Poetry Foundation
Beacons of Light 