Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
In church, we were given a prayer list to pray over this
week before we begin Spiritual Emphasis (or Revival). As I sat and drank my
coffee, I read the first day and looked up the scripture. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The world has taught me that the poor in
spirit are those who (insert whiney voice) “Eeevvvvverything has happened to
me….I can’t catch a break. I need
someone to feel sorry for me”. But
that’s not what Matthew 5:3 explains.
My bible notes explain to me that “poor in spirit” is a good
thing. It is humility. Deep humility. It is knowing the danger of being apart
from God. One who is poor in
spirit is completely opposite of being self- sufficient. Uh oh. That one
stung. Yes, I trust God, but what
about in those stressful situations that I just need to figure this one out on
my own?? Nope. If you are a child of God, those situations are when you get
down on your knees and throw those hands up, giving it to God. It’s so hard,
but so completely necessary. Do you really want to figure out your life on your
own? No, thank you. I know God has good plans for me. He wants me to depend on
Him. He wants me to be so aware of Him. He’s not like me, getting really
nervous when someone is depending on me for happiness or stressful times in
their life. Here is the great thing…He doesn’t get nervous.
So all that being said. I am broken. And joyful. Broken
because during this move, I want to depend on me (watch out, anyone in my life.
My attitude will probably stink). But this morning, that word, “self-
sufficient” hurt. It hurt because that’s what we are taught. I naturally want
to be self- sufficient. So this week I am praying for a poor in spirit
attitude. Funny how he shows me this almost a week before I move to California.
That’s where the joyful part comes in. I’m praying that my heart will be prepared,
so that I naturally depend on God. Not me.
That is what that verse gave me this week. It will probably show me something different next week. I would love to
know how God has spoken to you through that verse. This book really never gets
old. It has something new for us every day!
Victoria
