A Life of Receiving

A LIFE OF RECEIVING

A realization to counteract pride is knowing that everything, absolutely everything in a Christian's life is a received blessing.

Pride assumes that "I am enough". With that assumption, one would also feel that he has no more to receive from God, and may only give to others. It's no wonder that this is pride's attitude, because pride causes a man to try to be God. And God is the only one who has nothing to take and everything to give.

I knew that, theoretically, everything in my life is supposed to be given unto me. Every single thing is supposed to be received. But when it comes to sharing and giving to others, I seem unable to maintain that attitude, the grateful, humble, praising attitude I have when receiving knowledge of God's great glory. Because during such moments, I couldn't see how I'm receiving anything; I only see my giving.

Speaking to a brother about this issue helped me organize my thoughts clearly enough to see how this works. I receive my giving. Because to give, to provide, to praise, to sacrifice, are acts that are themselves given by God to make complete what we received firsthand. It makes those things complete because things only find their completion in God Himself.

When I learn, I receive knowledge. When I teach, I receive the sharing of knowledge. The knowledge is made manifest, made known, made obvious, and thus I perceive it in its new form. And this new form is given by God. It's not mine, and if God does not give it to me, I could not utter a single word.

It's a bit deep, and maybe I'm not expressing myself well, but it is so extremely liberating.

In absolutely everything, I can live with the same humble expectancy as when I'm looking forward to receiving a new vision of God's glory. Everything is received. Everything.