What's with you lately?

Me, myself and I. The centrality of me versus the world. What absolute rubbish! Lately, I've been hit with this 'Me' mentality. Sad to say, sometimes we succumbed to it too often that we don't see the pitfalls of mankind. It is the 'me first and the rest later' syndrome that is a bit too hard to swallow.
Jesus said that we if we want to be first, the we will shall be last. What's that, you may ask. You see, the kingdom of heaven is such that whoever wants to be great and first in the kingdom of heaven must serve others and thus become last for the sake of others. There is no room for egos display and the carnal trinity, Me, Myself and I. Jesus said that we need to humble ourselves before Him. And whatever self that we have, we are to crucify that flesh and come broken and contrite before Him. Simple said then done, but then it takes a lot for us to lay down whatever we don't want to give up.
So what's with you lately? Full of yourself or do you want to empty yourself and come before God to say, "Lord, I'm nothing without You."

Losing The Battle To Win The War

What does it mean to be chastened by God? When God chasten us, he is not trying to get even with us for our sin. Sometimes, we hastily conclude that God must be angry for something we did. The Bible says that God 'hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us with according to our iniquities.....As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us' (Psalms 103:10,12). God's chastening is not God's way of getting even: God got even at the cross.
In fact, it is God's way of preparing us for something better, more valuable and worthwhile. God chastens us 'for profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness' (Hebrews 12:10). Sometimes, God chastens the very one that at that point of time don't deserve it or need it. Take the case of Job. He was a perfect and upright person (Job 1:1). Seriously, you don't have to do anything wrong for God to decide to chasten you! And that is a very sobering fact!
When God chastens you because you have done right - and you take it well - then you can be trusted. Not everyone who is chastened can find an immediate reason why. God could have vindicated us on the spot, but He has chosen not to. I tell you why, because it is better to lose a battle in order to win the war. God had a lot in mind for the kingdom of God than our own personal vindication.
Are you suffering right now because somebody has said something about you that is not nice? Has somebody done something to you that is not very kind? Do you yearn for some vengeance, for the moment where everybody can see the truth? Of course, you do. But if you can't keep quiet about it and you begin instead to act as a busybody, trying to protect yourself and your self-esteem, God will back off the whole situation. He will let you handle it and you will lose the war. The wisest thinng one can ever do when mistreated is to be quiet. God want us to lose the battle so that He might win the war for us.