3. I become bitter when God uses others instead of me.
During my first year in seminary, I learned about senior preaching week. The “best” preachers from the graduating class were chosen to preach in chapel. I wanted to be among that group so much I prayed and fasted for it. I was not selected. As I listened to those brothers preach faithfully, I grumbled that God hadn’t used me as he was using them—and I knew it was wrong.
Are you frustrated or discouraged when God “overlooks” you? Those are good times to re-evaluate why you follow Jesus.
4. I become more concerned about my public performance than my private devotion.
We often don’t pray because other things feel more pressing. Opportunities for public ministry rival devotion to the God who entrusted us with those opportunities in the first place. Glory thieves feel hurried out of the prayer closet because we value being before men more than before God.
Glory thieves feel hurried out of the prayer closet because we value being before men more than before God
I’m not implying public ministry isn’t worshipful. I often sense God’s presence acutely while preaching or evangelizing. Yet I can be tempted to neglect disciplines of prayer, fasting, and undistracted Bible reading because other things allure and press on me.
5. I fear moral failure for the wrong reasons.
When a Christian falls publicly, it distorts people’s view of God (Prov. 25:26; Rom. 2:24). This prospect grieves anyone who cares about the reputation of Jesus in the world.
Caring what people think about us isn’t inherently wrong. But pride can lead us to conceal sin, and pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18). As J. C. Ryle once observed, “Men fall in private long before they fall in public.”
6. My desire to be something rivals my desire for Jesus to be everything.
When I stood backstage years ago, I felt competing desires in my heart. I was not content for Jesus alone to be remembered. I wanted people to remember me, too.
John the Baptist would never have photobombed Jesus. Crowds flocked to John, but he had one mission—make Jesus known. “I am not the Christ,” he declared. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3.28–30″ data-version=”esv” data-purpose=”bible-reference”>John 3:28–30).
John was content serving offstage so that Jesus could be seen more clearly.
Can you be content with Jesus being glorified, even if it means no one will ever know your name? Are you happy to be among the “others” in Hebrews 11 and not among the heroes of the faith?
Jesus came to save glory thieves from themselves. Indeed, he gave up his own glory and then died for all the times we steal God’s glory. He alone is worthy of praise.
