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FIVE WAYS TO OVERCOME BRAGGING
May 23, 2023Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant.
1 Corinthians 13:4
1. MEDITATE ON GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU. Not everybody that brags is arrogant or egotistical. Sometimes people have poor social skills or social anxiety and are just trying to make conversation. The healing response to low self-esteem is John 3:16, which tells us how much God loves the world. Say out loud: “I am loved by God.” Love is not some neutral thing. It’s a deliberate power and the catalyst that causes our faith to work.
2. BE GRATEFUL FOR THE LITTLE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. Pastor and theologian Chuck Swindoll once talked about how life is broken down into two areas: the daily grind and the quantum leap. Think of Joseph in the Bible. In one day, he went from prison to being the vice president of Egypt in charge of a famine relief program. When we are grateful for the basics and the essentials, we will be in a flow of appreciation even in between the big wins in our lives.
Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24
3. GIVE GOD CREDIT FOR THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE ALL THE TIME. Years ago, I traveled out of town with another minister. He was a guest speaker, and I was there praying for him. I remember as we were driving back, excited because God had moved in a special way, this minister turned off the radio and started thanking God. That made a big impression on me. In everything we do, let’s give God all the praise, honor, and glory.
4. REJOICE WITH OTHERS INSTEAD OF COMPETING AND COMPARING. Have you ever been around anybody that was bragging? It can make you want to come back with a list of all your accomplishments to compensate for what they are saying. Social media has put society at an all-time high in comparison. But the Bible says it’s not wise to compare ourselves to others (2 Corinthians 10:12). When things or people bother us, we can take it to the Lord and say, “God, apparently, there’s some issue here, and I’m trusting You to help me to grow in this area.” The people that bug you the most often need you the most. So, pray for them and don’t get competitive.
5. CELEBRATE THE GAINS IN YOUR LIFE. Humility doesn’t mean we ignore the wins in our lives. When Paul came back from witnessing to the Gentiles in Acts 14, he gathered the church together and told them what God had done. If you are getting a breakthrough in your business or receiving an award – let’s celebrate it! We don’t need to overanalyze our motives in this because we don’t have that skill set. We have to keep them surrendered to the Lord and say, “God, would you please help me to have good motives?” Ultimately, it’s all about Jesus; we will cast all our crowns at His feet. Our boast is in Him, and we can say, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:10-11).
Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry
PRAY THIS PRAYER:
It’s an honor to know You, Jesus. I humble myself under the mighty hand of God, and I walk in patience and kindness. I’m not jealous, nor will I brag, but my boast is in the Lord. I celebrate Your goodness. I praise Your name. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. You brought me through a lot of things, Lord. You’ve forgiven me of a lot of issues. I forgive; I bear no grudge; I’m walking in love. Thank you, Jesus, for helping me out. I celebrate, rejoice, and give You all the praise in Jesus’ name, amen!
brag, verb
To boast; to display one’s actions, merits, or advantages ostentatiously; to tell boastful stories
Copyright © 2023 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Mills, Dick. The Spirit-filled Believer’s Daily Devotional. Harrison House, Inc., 1995. “Brag.” Webster’s Dictionary 1828, MasonSoft Technology Ltd., https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/brag. Accessed 17 May. 2023.
