“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” -Ephesians 2:8,9
When many Christians think of humility and sanctity, they often think of ascetic fasting and the heroic acts of the saints but these sorts of practices often focus more on self than on God. It is actually a subtle sort of self-delusion that is difficult to discern but God is finally getting through to me, helping me shake of self-defeating, pious actions that actually drive me further from God.
I cannot earn His love or Presence.
He must do everything in me.
This is true humility.
Pride entices me to work harder, pray more, fast religiously and perform heroic looking acts of virtue.
Humility accepts that only God can save me and other people
Pride entices me to work harder, pray more, fast religiously and perform heroic looking acts of virtue.
Humility accepts that only God can save me and other peopleWHY? We must come to the realization that we need a Saviour. It usually takes, even Contemplative Monks decades to finally let go of the last of their pride and to humbly surrender control. Pride makes us try to earn our salvation with good works.
joy of nine9 
It is so true that we can do things through pride and make it look good. He knows our hearts though. It all depends on our motives. Thank you for sharing how God is working in your life. It encourages us all.
God bless you as you continue to seek Him.
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Yes, You are absolutely correct, I continue to seek because I am hungary for more of Him
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St. James says that faith and works are important and what about the beatitudes or corporal works of mercy? The Good Samaritan was a parable of works as well. Humility is not abandoning good works but it is the self realization that we cannot do them without the grace of God.
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yes,of course you are right. Coporal works of mercy are actions in union with Christ, a flow of loving service, not an attempt to become pleasing to God or save yourself
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Seems like decades for me as well!
After my father’s unexpected death at age 62, I had an insight from God. It felt as though my father were trying to send me a message of mercy. At judgment, when God asks why we should be granted eternal life, we will offer Christ’s accomplishments and not our own as the main reason. I think it’s easy to praise our children when they do good things and we carry this into our perception of how God views us. I could be wrong altogether.
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I love the journey, the journey of learning. Because we never stop learning. That for me is the beauty here. And even when we find what we truly want to find, we learn still. My Father is nearly 70 and says often “Shaun, I learn every day still”
Great blog.. x
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now that would be a great theme for an article
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Yeah it would…”The Journey” Finding the path, and walking it till you find what you need to find..
Yeah.. x
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🙂
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I am thinking 😀
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