Feelings of Inferiority - Job 11-13 and Acts 9:1-21
No one likes to be looked down upon by others. It is hard for us to handle, when others try to make us feel inferior to them. The truth is that we all need to have a good self-esteem, which is founded upon our relationship with God. However, there is a sense in which feeling inferior is good. Therefore, I want us to explore this area of feelings of inferiority a little bit today. Of course, we can't exhaust the subject or explain everything, but we can learn a couple essential lessons.
Job tells his friends twice that he is not inferior to them after Zophar addresses him in chapter 11. I think Zophar's implication that Job needed to repent of his sin, and then God would restore him, brought on a feeling of inferiority. Job did not accept that feeling, because of his relationship with God. He did not respond in pride, when he told them he was not inferior. He responded in confidence before God. He was confident that he had not sinned to bring on his suffering, and he knew he was faithful to the Lord. In fact, Job confessed to his friends that he would remain faithful to God, even if God killed him. I believe that was a statement of genuine faith and that Job was right to say that he was not inferior. I believe God wants all of us to have that kind of relationship with Him, so that we can withstand any assault on our faith by others. What if an atheist university professor attacked your faith and insulted your beliefs, would that cause you to feel inferior? It shouldn't, if you have a close relationship with God.
In Acts 9 Saul came face to face with the Risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. He felt very inferior. Even before he knew who it was speaking to him out of that blinding light, he called Him "Lord." It was evident to Saul that he was inferior to the Person speaking to him. He humbly asked Jesus what He wanted him to do, and he did it. It is always good for us to feel inferior to God. It keeps us humble, and it lessens the changes we will argue with God. Notice, the response of Ananias when God called him to go to Saul, whom he knew to be harming Christians. He just communicated his fear and made sure they were talking about the same Saul of Tarsus. He did not argue with God or resist His request. I believe the reason for that response was that Ananias knew that he was inferior to God. He did not know everything, but God did. He knew He could trust God's directions, and He did. How many times do we argue with God? We are prone to tell Him no, because we think we know more than He does about an individual or a situation. That is pride that comes from unhealthy feelings that we are not that much inferior to God. We must reject those thoughts and submit to God as Ananias did.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 14-16 and Acts 9:22-43.
Job tells his friends twice that he is not inferior to them after Zophar addresses him in chapter 11. I think Zophar's implication that Job needed to repent of his sin, and then God would restore him, brought on a feeling of inferiority. Job did not accept that feeling, because of his relationship with God. He did not respond in pride, when he told them he was not inferior. He responded in confidence before God. He was confident that he had not sinned to bring on his suffering, and he knew he was faithful to the Lord. In fact, Job confessed to his friends that he would remain faithful to God, even if God killed him. I believe that was a statement of genuine faith and that Job was right to say that he was not inferior. I believe God wants all of us to have that kind of relationship with Him, so that we can withstand any assault on our faith by others. What if an atheist university professor attacked your faith and insulted your beliefs, would that cause you to feel inferior? It shouldn't, if you have a close relationship with God.
In Acts 9 Saul came face to face with the Risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. He felt very inferior. Even before he knew who it was speaking to him out of that blinding light, he called Him "Lord." It was evident to Saul that he was inferior to the Person speaking to him. He humbly asked Jesus what He wanted him to do, and he did it. It is always good for us to feel inferior to God. It keeps us humble, and it lessens the changes we will argue with God. Notice, the response of Ananias when God called him to go to Saul, whom he knew to be harming Christians. He just communicated his fear and made sure they were talking about the same Saul of Tarsus. He did not argue with God or resist His request. I believe the reason for that response was that Ananias knew that he was inferior to God. He did not know everything, but God did. He knew He could trust God's directions, and He did. How many times do we argue with God? We are prone to tell Him no, because we think we know more than He does about an individual or a situation. That is pride that comes from unhealthy feelings that we are not that much inferior to God. We must reject those thoughts and submit to God as Ananias did.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 14-16 and Acts 9:22-43.