Isaiah 26:8

This morning I read Isaiah 26:8 and it totally woke me up. The verse says that "your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts."

How often my desire is simply for my own name and my own fame instead of God's. The lure of self and the danger of pride are constant obstacles in my path for intimacy with God.
Ironically, is the fact that when I pursue my own ends and my own agenda with my own strength I lose peace and gain anxiety, I forfeit God's unlimited strength for my limited strength.

Here's some insights into how this plays out for me:

a) The temptation of pride is HIGH for people who work in public (i.e. preach)

b) The need for humility is great because God can only fill & use a person empty of himself.

c) Pastors can be very competitive and comparative.

d) There are really two questions:
--Who really builds a church?
--Who is the church really built for?

e) How I am working to be humble, stay humble and get humble:
i) I pray John 3:30 a lot
ii) Pray more and "work" less = "stress" less and "me" less
iii) Celebrate the successes of other churches and pastors
iv) Pray for other pastors and churches
v) Thank God that He lets me do what I get to do.
vi) I don't have to 'do it' all. (There was a time when I did and thus there is a dangerous tendency to think: "If it is to be, it is up to me.")
vii) Laugh at myself...there is plenty of material!