spiritual selfishness

for bethany small group we usually begin or end by going around in a circle and sharing how our weeks have been and any specific prayer requests. this week, outwardly, it seemed the same as usual. but something seemed wrong beneath the surface. i couldn't quite put my finger on it. it was only after joe mentioned how manan (josh's best friend) had the most Godly prayer request that i realized what was wrong. before i share what manan's prayer request was, let me give some background information about manan. he and josh have been best friends since high school and they are currently roommates. manan is not christian. actually, he is agnostic. and he usually doesn't come to small group unless josh manages to convince him to come along - which i rare, at best. now, manan's prayer request was one of thanksgiving for kind-hearted people - good samaritans, so to speak. and only after joe mentioned how manan's prayer request didn't follow the trend did i realize what was wrong. all our prayer requests and everything we shared were focused on ourselves. i want to be less lonely, i want to see my family, i want to know God is working in my life. nothing we, as bethanites, said was spread outwards. we were all worried about ourselves. manan was not. i mean, there is nothing wrong with asking from God for ourselves. but we should direct our energy outwards. towards Christ and towards other people. i was embarassed that manan, the agnostic, had the most selfless prayer request while the rest of us had more selfish prayer requests. this was later reinforced when jae came by and began to speak about how it is time for bethany's college group to come out of our comfort zone and reach out to the community. it's time for a change. which is what i just talked about a few weeks ago.

what really struck me today was the bible passage for bible study today. ephesians 4:17-32. the gist of this passage is about how we need to give up our old selves, our old way of life, our old attitudes and trade them for a new one that is focused on Christ and others. it was just a huge reinforcement for what we talked about last night in small group. it was really amazing that that part of ephesians just happened to be our next passage in ephesians. God really showed his power there.



¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶"In your anger do not sin"^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

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