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A Genuine Christian Is Free Of Self-Deception

When we were young, we were brought up by our parents to what they want us to be. Usually they groomed us to be the person whom they admired and hoped to become but didn't happen. They wanted us to continue the dreams they did not achieved. But I know that other parents wanted to bring out the best from their children and allow them to choose the path they want to take. Whether we like it or not, our success and failure are a product of how our parents guided and influenced us.

It has no difference to what God's desire for us, his children. He surely desire to let us find our true selves whom God plan us to be. But most of the time, we want to be of someone else rather than simply be ourselves. There is no wrong in this attitude, if and only if this desire is also aligned to our capabilities, skills, characters, and God's will and purpose in our lives. Like our biological parents, God is so glad to see his children succeeding in their lives and to all the aspects of it. But if not, then this attitude is just a self-deception and will lead us to failure one day.

Apostle Paul reminded us in Galatians 6:3 when he says "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." We have given the spiritual gifts, talents, and fruits; and God wants us to use them not for our own glory but for Him. We have to serve in God's vineyard but we cannot simply assume any roles, responsibilities, and tasks without His approval. Therefore in everything we do for God's Kingdom, we have to review it at all times as Paul suggest in verse 4 to "Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else."

God wants us to be the person with integrity and be proud of our achievements in different areas of our lives but it must be of no self-deception. He loves us as a real person and not as a puppet that lives only in others expectation. Do not allow selfish ambition, envy, arrogance, and power overcomes us. Rather, let us remain humble before others and before our God and live as genuine as possible without any trace of self-deception. 
 
God bless everyone!

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