Through many dangers, toils, and snares

The false gospel of self-help, have you checked your heart for it?

The trophy of self-help sits not far off the narrow way toward Zion. It’s like one of those floating bonus items in Mario Kart. It promises to require just a quick flick of your thumb, and you can continue on your way, in fact it will help you in your walk!

But that is a deceitful illusion. You can never just grab it and go. You are led off the path continuously, chasing after righteousness in this life. Living for the sake of becoming better, which on its own is at best but dirty rags before the throne of God.

I regret to confess that in becoming a mother, I’ve gone down the way after this elusive reward.

Examples:

• I have anxiety about my child’s health: the Bible has a solution for this, to be a more “healthy” person and rid me of a bad feeling!
• I have thoughts of resentment toward my family: the Bible has truths to remove such ugly emotions. Don’t I want to be a more gracious and serving mother and wife? Apply the right verses and I will be made better, more respectable, more desirable. That’s the goal right?

No! Lord, wretched man that I am, please deliver me from this body of death! How is it that after all these years, after all the washing in the water of the Word, my heart’s perpetual idolatry can lead me to grovel on the floor before the worthless images of pride and the praise of man?

This may seem a little overdramatic to you because, the reality is, the pilgrim’s way does involve becoming better. It’s called sanctification, and it’s done by the gracious hand of God through the work of the Spirit. But what a vile thing it is to take this gift and set it upon the throne and worship it.

 

I beg of you (and I beg the Lord to help me to do it) to hate sin in our lives, but hate it for the right reason – which is that is abhorrent to God who is perfect. Because Christ died to take on the punishment of sin. Because sin grieves the Holy Spirit who indwells us. May we seek to be perfect, not for perfection’s sake, but because our Heavenly Father, whom we worship, is perfect.

Becoming better is the inevitable byproduct of being a worshipper of God, but may it never ever be the object of our worship.

So let the truths of God’s Word wash you and help you as they should. Reflect on them, cling to them. But look up and check whose coattails you’re clinging to. Are those passages helping you to cling to God or to the betterment of yourself?