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Your Blind Spot (3)
'...Put off the old man...' Colossians 3:9 NKJV
The Bible speaks about ‘putting off’ certain sins. Then it speaks about ‘putting on’ certain Christ–like characteristics. Using this metaphor of clothing, let’s think about the acronym RAGS:
(1) Resentment. How’s your irritability level these days? Are you more, or less, easily irritated? How about bitter-ness and unforgiveness? When someone hurts you, do you attack or withdraw? Is your handling of resentment getting better, worse, or in neutral?
(2) Anxiety. On a scale of one to ten, what’s your discouragement level these days? Do you have more or fewer fears about money, your health, your job, or what other people think of you? Do you allow those fears to keep you from doing what God wants? Do you find your concerns motivate you to pray more frequently?
(3) Greed. Greed is just mis–managed desire. So is your self–control going up, down, or is it in neutral? Are you living with more openness and less hiddenness than you used to—living more of your life in the light? Do you find that what you desire and enjoy is increasingly in line with what God wants for you?
(4) Superiority. Are you becoming less preoccupied with self? Do you find yourself thinking more about other people and God, as well as the work He has for you to do? How often in conversation do you remark on the positive characteristics of others instead of their negative qualities? Do you come across as hard, jaded and cynical? Are you spending more or less time serving others?
Today, ask God to help you look into your own heart and give you the grace to deal with what you find there.
written by Bob Gass
'...Put off the old man...' Colossians 3:9 NKJV
The Bible speaks about ‘putting off’ certain sins. Then it speaks about ‘putting on’ certain Christ–like characteristics. Using this metaphor of clothing, let’s think about the acronym RAGS:
(1) Resentment. How’s your irritability level these days? Are you more, or less, easily irritated? How about bitter-ness and unforgiveness? When someone hurts you, do you attack or withdraw? Is your handling of resentment getting better, worse, or in neutral?
(2) Anxiety. On a scale of one to ten, what’s your discouragement level these days? Do you have more or fewer fears about money, your health, your job, or what other people think of you? Do you allow those fears to keep you from doing what God wants? Do you find your concerns motivate you to pray more frequently?
(3) Greed. Greed is just mis–managed desire. So is your self–control going up, down, or is it in neutral? Are you living with more openness and less hiddenness than you used to—living more of your life in the light? Do you find that what you desire and enjoy is increasingly in line with what God wants for you?
(4) Superiority. Are you becoming less preoccupied with self? Do you find yourself thinking more about other people and God, as well as the work He has for you to do? How often in conversation do you remark on the positive characteristics of others instead of their negative qualities? Do you come across as hard, jaded and cynical? Are you spending more or less time serving others?
Today, ask God to help you look into your own heart and give you the grace to deal with what you find there.
written by Bob Gass
