Decrease for Increase

I visited a church a few months ago, and the pastor's sermon was about how we have to decrease so that God can increase. At first, I was like "What does that even mean?" but after a lot of reflection, I got it.

Even John the Baptist said this. Actually, I didn't fully understand it until I found the verse in my Bible on Sunday.

John 3:26- : They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan-the one you testified about-look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice.. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."

Of course, John is talking about his followers. But it applies to other things as well. Who we are, what we want, our selfish selves (ego) have to decrease. We have to be less the way the world wants us to be - less the way our flesh wants us to be - and be more the way God wants us to be. When we stop making it about ourselves, we can start to make it all about Him.

But how? A very good question.

The best way I can explain it is to give an example. A personal example. My flesh would like to read every single book on the planet (and probably from other planets too). I love to read. It's my favorite hobby, and can easily take over my life if I let it.

But some books aren't good for my mind or my spirit. I can usually tell which books those are, but sometimes they fall into my "in-between area" where I'm sure it'll be a good book, but I don't know if my spirit is going to cry as it is tempted with things that are not of God.

This is something I'm still working on. I am continually trying to screen what I read. That doesn't mean I only read books with a good Biblical message. I still like to read other books - historical books, travel books, and works of fiction such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Jungle Book, and Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I'm not saying that all works of fiction are bad. But there are ones that nourish our minds and souls, and those that will destroy them.

And yes, I'm saddened to say that what we read, what we put into our minds, does matter. This saddens me because I wish all books were good and nourishing to my soul so that I could read them all without fear that the message of one would make me feel defeated or saddened or pained or tempted.

Maybe that's not the best example. A better one might be our desires, plans, and dreams. One day I would like to get married. It hasn't happened yet, and I don't know if it's part of God's plan for me. I hope so, because I do want to fall in love and be able to share my life with someone, and I know He loves me, but I also know that He knows everything and wants what is best for me. One thing I really struggle with is the idea that it might not be what God wants for my life, and so my desire for that must decrease so that God can increase through His plans for my life. I have to find that place where I would be willing to set that dream aside if it's not part of God's plan.

So, we must decrease so that God can increase. These are only two of my own personal examples. It can be a real struggle to try to let God be in complete control, and know that He will do what is best. It can be a struggle to war against the flesh so that we can do God's will.

Do you struggle to decrease so that God can increase? In what ways?