As you can see, I have no problem giving myself a pat on the back. I like praise for a job well done; who doesn’t? But, honestly, even if no one else acknowledges my good work, I know God sees it and I probably give myself enough props. It’s not that I take credit from God; I know exactly where my help comes from, but sometimes I do start to think that I have arrived. I begin to think that I have everything figured out. It is at those times that God allows someone to come and knock me off my high horse. Earlier this year, it happened in my career, and just yesterday, it happened in one of my new endeavors. You see, I can criticize myself all day long. I am not too shabby at self-analysis and I (and those who love me) know how to tell me that I can do better and improve. But, when someone else brings my shortcomings to my attention, it is hard to swallow. I feel attacked.
In times of weakness in my life, the devil was pretty successful at using the criticism of others to help me start to doubt my abilities. But, as I have grown in Christ, I have learned that God respects humility. I have learned that I do not know it all and that God wants me to keep learning and growing. I will continue to do the best that I know to do and strive for perfection, but that does not mean that there is no room for improvement. I will never let doubts and fears throw me off of my God-given path again and I will never stop learning. Ms. EV