Day 196
I Corinthians 10:12
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall "
It is important that we stay humble and watch ourselves when we think we are standing sure, as Paul said in I Corinthians IO:12. Our Father is at work in us, perfecting those things that concern us. When He accomplishes something and we feel good about our progress, we can be tempted to be proud of ourselves. That is when we need to be vigilant.
As the branches abide in the vine, they bear fruit. The vine is the source of life for them. It is only by staying connected to the vine that the branches can remain productive. It would be foolish for a branch to stray away to show off all the fruit it has borne, because a disconnected branch will eventually dry up. We are who we are in Christ. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. It is in Him that we live. It is the constant awareness of these things that enables us to remain safe in His care.
There is a certain amount of self-discipline that can produce character in those who are not connected to God as we are. Although people who depend on self-discipline can be vulnerable to sudden failure or a miserable life, they at least work hard, realizing they are vulnerable without their consistent regiment. The former alcoholic who faithfully attends Alcoholics Anonymous believes he needs the program to survive. He may do better than a Christian who gets help from God and then thinks he did it by himself. The former alcoholic stays close to his "source" of help, whereas the Christian strays away in self-confidence and falls.
So, let us not become slack in our communion with God when we seem to be doing well. Let us remember our successes are because of our connection to Him and not because of some personal goodness we possess.
I will remain humble in regards to my spiritual progress. I realize that it is only my relationship with God that produces spiritual growth. I will stay close to Him, in communion with Him, to remain strong and to continue to grow.