Day 3 – The attitude which should go with knowing God’s will

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Romans 12:3 (TNIV)

We have been reading about how it is impossible to get our heads around God and prise from him the secrets of how he works and what his will is for us. We then read how God’s will can be known to us if our minds are renewed by God and transformed, and that this is done by God’s mercy when we give up control, seeking forgiveness, committing and offering our whole selves “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.”

When we start to be transformed and know God’s will, there is still a danger that we will go back to our old habits of thinking we are in control. Knowing God’s will does not mean that we are now perfect like God. So Paul is quick to remind us to stay humble.

Look at how even Paul, a well renowned teacher the church is looking at in order to find God’s will for them, starts his warning by acknowledging how he knows what he is about to write. “By the grace given me” – Paul does not teach us about knowing God’s will because he is a clever teacher, or has worked it out by himself. Paul only teaches because God has mercifully given him what to say. “Grace” refers to something given but not deserved, and Paul is confessing that he has not earned wisdom – God has given it even though Paul did not deserve it. We are no more deserving ourselves.

So how highly should we think of ourselves? Some people think Christians hate themselves, and this would be a mistake. God loves us, and is the source of our love for ourselves and each other. This isn’t something to get carried away over (God chooses to love us, it’s not because we’re especially lovely), but we can think of ourselves “with sober judgement” – our transformed minds can recognise and think about how we relate to God and each other. We do this “in accordance with the faith God has distributed.” In other words this thought and faith, like everything else, come from God. (Now here’s an interesting question – what do you think “faith” means here?)

To consider and pray throughout today

• How do I think of myself? How does this compare with how I think of others?
• How much do I feel loved, ready, proud, humble, clever, blessed, talented… what else?
• What is the faith that God has distributed to me?
• How do I see that faith being put into practice through what I am doing?