• Home
    • Resources
    • The Gospel
    • Statement of Faith
    • Church Finder
    • Homemaking Courses
    • Privacy Policy
  • About
    • About Me
    • Sponsorships
    • My Church Home
    • The Bar Podcast Network
    • My Favorite Blogging & Podcast Tools
  • Start Here
  • Free Library
    • Sign Up for Access
    • Enter Library (password required)
    • Meal Planning PDF
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Homemaking Courses
    • TH Gear – Mugs, T-Shirts, Tote Bags & Sweatshirts
    • Amazon Shop (Books, Home Items & More!)
    • Journals & Notebooks
    • Etsy Shop
    • Free Library
  • Top 10 Book List
  • Support
    • Patreon Support
    • One Time Donation
    • Sponsorships
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Thankful Homemaker

Gospel-Driven Encouragement for Homemakers

  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Homemaking
    • Menu Planning Made Easy Course
  • Marriage
    • Marriage Series
  • Motherhood
  • Christian Living
    • Spiritual Disciplines Series
    • Sermon on the Mount
  • Homemaking Courses
  •  

The Sin of Selfishness

by Marci Ferrell
Christian Living

543 shares
  • Facebook342
  • Twitter

I’d love to help you simplify your meal planning. Check out my new menu planning course here.

If you're encouraged by the podcast & blog consider becoming a friend of Thankful Homemaker at Patreon

 
 
Love is our best defense against sin.  The more that we love God and our neighbor the less selfish (sinful) we will be.  God's remedy for sin is our love for Him. @mferrell
 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV)

  
“Lovers of self” (my emphasis) – notice in the verse above all the other categories fall under the umbrella of loving our self. Selfishness truly is the “mother of all sins” as it is common to each of us and keeps us from loving God and others as we are called as believers to do.  
 
 

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
(Matthew 22:35-40 ESV

 

Love is our best defense against sin.  The more that we love God and our neighbor the less selfish (sinful) we will be.  God’s remedy for sin is our love for Him.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Love is our best defense against sin.” quote=”Love is our best defense against sin.”]

Some examples of selfishness are:

• Being more concerned with my interests over God’s
• Competitiveness
• Fear of being rejected
• Not rejoicing when others are esteemed
• Difficulty submitting to God’s will
• Being Controlling
• More concerned with my needs than the needs of those around me
• Protective of my time

The list above is not exhaustive and I know we can all think of many more examples that clearly reveal when we are putting the needs of ourselves above others but the first step in killing the sin of selfishness is to recognize it.

 
 Be killing sin or it will be killing you
~ John Owen ~ 
 
How do we kill the sin of selfishness as believers?  We must rely on the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and reveal to us afresh and anew the great love of Christ.  We must reflect and dwell on the love that God has already revealed to us through the gift of His Son – Jesus Christ.  God has saved us and predestined us to be conformed to the image of Christ – God knows what is best for me and truly is working out all situations for good in my life.  I must remember to dwell on the truths of His sovereignty, faithfulness, wisdom, goodness and His love.  God is sufficient to meet all my needs and I can rest that the circumstances he allows in my life will reveal the areas of my life that need sanctifying.  

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:17-19 ESV)

May we seek the Lord today and ask Him to show us the sin of selfishness in our lives. May we seek to put the love of others above ourselves as we first and foremost are reminded of the great love God has for us – 
 
 

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 ESV)

 

“The principle runs through all life from top to bottom. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and the death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find him, and with him everything else thrown in.”

~ C. S. Lewis

 

Recommended Resource:

Selfishness by Lou Priolo

 

 
 

No related posts.


Free Resource Library

Get more posts like this in your inbox!

And while you’re at it, you’ll receive access to our FREE library of resources to help you in your homemaking!.

(I will not spam you. Read my privacy policy.)

« Sharing our Faith with Others using Tracts
Biblically Communicating With Our Children »

Comments

  1. Maureen says

    at

    I did a search “the sin of selfishness” because my boyfriend of 8 years is so selfish and self-centered it is abusive. He is a passive aggressive Aspberger…and it has helped change me from a relatively happy person to suicidal. Of course you’re saying to yourself “why doesn’t she just leave him if it’s so bad?”. Life often isn’t so simple or black and white. I have no way to support myself. I oftentimes imagine just going into a nearby ditch and laying there until I die. That would be so much easier than dealing with my sickness, him, and life. He just plain doesn’t have mostly the same interests as I do…but I think the key is that he doesn’t have the same interests as I expect any normal human being has!. This has practically destroyed me. I waited so very long to find the man whom I love, and who loves me back dearly. I admit I was getting desperate, but I was too weak to resist his sweet words and promises. He doesn’t like animals, the outdoors, lazy afternoons, playing games, hanging with friends…all the things I NEED. Instead he grew up with asthma and allergies…and a neat freak mom…so he’s ‘afraid’ of dander and pollen, needs to be ‘engaged in work’ all the time, and hates people and playing games, aka having fun. His dad is heavily Nord…and is a Drippy Drawers. I call them Drippy Drawers Sr and Jr. I am Irish and I love to socialize. I NEED to be with people…and he needs to be alone. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Passive Aggressives, but if not do a little search. This is where the term ‘crazy talk’ comes from. Many a woman has suffered greatly at the hands of these evil lying loonies! My boyfriend will ‘change his brains’ on a dime. For many years now he will insist he loves me one minute and then tells me to leave (permanently) the next. He doesn’t understand a man is only as good as his word. THIS is what has destroyed me so much…his inability to have an opinion about anything…to CARE about ANYTHING!! He is truly a mental case! The only thing he cares about (as he told me when we met) are him, his children, and the local sports team. But also his obsession…cars and engines and racing. He can’t even tell me what his favorite meal is…or get excited about when I make special treats. This is not a normal man as most ‘live to eat’. I am a great cook…and he finally understands this…and does appreciate that. But you can’t even tell me what your favorite meal is? Come on! Believe it or not it’s taken me many years to figure this guy out…and I still don’t think I’ve really pointed to THE root of his problem. Here’s another big piece…because he cares little about much of anything, I have no leverage. This is huge and extremely defeating for me. Like I said…I can’t have pets (which would greatly allow me to heal), and he won’t spend time with me outside…or just chilling…all which I need for healing. They say a week camping can remove a year’s worth of stress. I need this sooo bad! But he’s too selfish to care and step out of his comfort zone (his alllergies and asthma are almost gone thanks to my healing cooking…I’m a nutritionist). He is an oldest child bully (also a Taurus), and I’m a youngest child nice person who is always willing to bend to accommodate other’s needs. I guess I’m a real giver and he’s a real taker. That’s another thing! He HATES to give me anything (time, assistance, ‘favors’), while I am always willing to be there for him. He literally wants to pay me for favors, and I tell him that’s not the way relationships work! Oh my God…I’m going crazy! Thanks for letting me vent! Please pray for me and him. I don’t even care that much about US anymore…I just need to return to a happy and healthy life again. I’m glad to find your blog. I know I need to hear and live God’s Word every day, so I look forward to your emails. Thanks Marci! God Bless you! ????❤????

  2. Simonee says

    at

    Wow the whole list was me! Convicted for real

  3. Gege says

    at

    Wonderful post Marci!

  4. Ashlyn @ Consider the Lilies says

    at

    Wonderful post Marci! Reminds me that selfishness is something we must examine ourselves daily for!

  5. Ashley Ditto says

    at

    This is great. I sometimes don’t realize when I am being selfish. Wonderful post Marci!

WEEKLY HOME CLEANING SCHEDULE SIDEBAR AD

Welcome to Thankful Homemaker

So thankful you’ve stopped by for a visit. Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit a bit. I hope to remind you that contentment in our role as homemakers begins with finding our satisfaction in Christ.

read more…

Ultimate Homemaking Binder Side Bar Ad

Categories

  • Bible Study
  • Christian Living
  • Holidays
  • Homemaking
  • Marriage
  • Menu Planning
  • Motherhood
  • Podcast
  • Time Management

thankfulhomemaker

Marci Ferrell
Patience is our ability, under the control of the Patience is our ability, under the control of the Spirit, to persevere and endure in times of suffering or hardship.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Come listen in (or read) EP 118: Cultivating Patience with One Another at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
By affliction, Christ . . .⁣⁣ shows us our em By affliction, Christ . . .⁣⁣
 shows us our emptiness and weakness,⁣⁣
 draws us to the throne of grace,⁣⁣
 purifies our affections,⁣⁣
 weans us from the world,⁣⁣
 and makes us long for Heaven.⁣⁣
~ J.C. Ryle⁣
⁣
Read more of Trusting God in Your Trials at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
I know we can all relate to self-pity as women, wi I know we can all relate to self-pity as women, wives, and mothers.  How many times do we focus on our needs that aren’t met?  Unfair situations or circumstances?  Self-pity is a selfish tendency that takes our eyes off Christ and puts them on ourselves. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
We forget that “God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Are we able to give God “thanks in all things”?⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Come listen in to EP 105: Practical Steps to Overcome Self Pity at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)⁣
⁣
#rootedinChrist #rootedintheword #christian #christianity #thankfulhomemaker #bedeeplyrooted  #christianblogger  #christians #treasurechrist #joyinchrist #inchristalone #deeplyrooted #martynlloydjones #selfpity
Grab a free copy of my weekly planner 🥰⁣ ⁣ Grab a free copy of my weekly planner 🥰⁣
⁣
Weekly Menu Planning Free PDF is at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image).
"God's written Word, the Bible, is God's greatest "God's written Word, the Bible, is God's greatest earthly gift to his people, second only to the living Word, Jesus. And because the living Word perfectly lived out the written Word, we are blessed beyond measure. Jesus fulfilled every precept found in Psalm 119, keeping the principles and commandments of this psalm, and he did so on our behalf.⁣
⁣
Our failure to live wholeheartedly is covered by Jesus, who lived it perfectly for us. Ultimately, he is Psalm 119 in human form, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)."⁣
⁣
~ Taken from Sing a New Song: A Woman's Guide to the Psalms by Lydia Brownback⁣
⁣
With my whole heart I seek you;⁣
let me not wander from your commandments!⁣
I have stored up your word in my heart,⁣
that I might not sin against you.⁣
~ Psalm 119:10-11
Accept the cost of good deeds in time, thought, an Accept the cost of good deeds in time, thought, and effort. But remember that opportunities for doing good are not interruptions in God’s plan for us, but part of that plan. We always have time to do what God wants us to do.⁣
~ Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness⁣
⁣
Listen in to 10 Things Helping Me to Manage My Days as a Homemaker at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image).
I’m sharing a walkthrough of various tools and s I’m sharing a walkthrough of various tools and systems that help me to get things done. It’s a practical episode, and I hope to encourage you, if nothing else, to take a look at how your days are going and ask yourself some simple questions like:⁣
⁣
What is working and what is not working?⁣
Where do I find myself wasting time?⁣
Where can I make better use of my time?⁣
Can I simplify my days or various tasks or automate them?⁣
⁣
These are just a few questions to ponder, and there are many more you can ask, but the main one is to seek the Lord and ask him, are you a good steward of your time? Is your desire to honor Him amid your days and in how you spend your time?⁣
⁣
Many more than ten systems or tools help me manage my days, but these items top my list. I’ve shared more in detail on some of these in past blog posts or podcast episodes, but I wanted to put together an episode that walked through how I use each one.⁣
⁣
An episode like this one is more helpful to me than you because it helps me to think through my days and systems and tools and determine what is working for me and what isn’t.⁣
⁣
Listen to 10 Things Helping Me Manage My Days as a Homemaker at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image).
Who doesn’t want to save money, time, their sani Who doesn’t want to save money, time, their sanity, reduce stress, eat healthy and avoid the dreaded question, “What’s for dinner?” It sounds great, right, and we’d all love to do it, but how do we get there?⁣
⁣
Menu planning is the answer to all those questions above. We have a jam-packed episode today filled with tons of tips, examples, and ideas, so stick with me, and I know there will be something that will appeal to each of you in some way.⁣
⁣
Listen in at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image).
Though gradually, though no one remembers exactly Though gradually, though no one remembers exactly how it happened, the unthinkable becomes tolerable. And then acceptable. And then legal. And then applaudable.⁣
~ Joni Eareckson Tada⁣
⁣
Come listen to EP 70: Finding Forgiveness After an Abortion at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Access the FREE Library!

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Thankful Homemaker · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy & Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email