God has set forth an image of what we should be ---He created us in this image of His. But with freedom of choice comes independence.

But that should not compel us to become independent of Him.  And often when we do, we are not merely asserting ourselves, we are deserting ourselves.

I've learned that we cause so much of our own problems ...and as we struggle so hard to promote ourselves, and our perceived needs, we actually sabotage our own efforts and hurt ourselves.

We cause ourselves the most pain. We care about what God thinks about us, but instead of pleasing Him, we think of why He doesn't please us more ...and we have difficulty thinking He would withhold anything from us.

Also, while we fall short of acknowledging that He knows all about our shortcomings, we focus instead on elevating ourselves and protecting the fragile image we hope others will see.



     

Imagine that I buy our youngest son a Tinker-toy set. He wants me to show him how to build something. Now, I've never been a great builder, but we are imagining, remember.

So, imagine I build the best Tinker-toy creation, ever.  Will my son be so in awe of it that he will just sit for hours and stare at it?  No, he will take apart my creation and try to build his own ...howbeit, a trying experience.  But without trying, there is no participation.  And with no participation, there is no learning. 

Do you know what he actually learned in this situation?

He learned that he liked my creation better.  And I was more pleased that he wanted to join me in building it again, than I ever would be disappointed that he'd tore it down.

Before a third of the angels turned against God, everything was perfect. Nothing can add to it, or be taken from it ...without affecting that perfection, in effect, changing it to non-perfection. But the third sought after change.

Change never begins with an act ...it begins within a person.

The Bible says that God created us in His image.

If we look up the word created in the concordance, it reads, "to cut down".   And if we look up the word image, it reads, "to shade".