Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Lent 2018 | Page 25

Give Up Your Security In Yourself
Monday, March 5th
1 Peter 5:8
Now is the time of the church year when it may be easy for you to feel good about your level of
Christianity. You’re going to church not only on Sunday, but also on Wednesday night. Maybe you are
practicing to sing in the upcoming Good Friday service. You might be giving up a luxury (meat, ice
cream, even coffee) for th e Lenten season. You feel like you are more aware of your sin and the vices in
your life. In the back of your mind, you may be thinking you have this whole ‘leading-a-Christian-life’
thing pretty figured out.
It is during times like these when you need to be extra aware of the caution in our Bible reading of
being self-controlled and alert. Peter warns that relying on yourself for spiritual security can lead to
letting down your spiritual guard. The devil will attack and tempt you at any time, including when you
are relying too much on yourself for spiritual strength.
It is important to remember this advice is coming from Peter because he experienced this same
scenario in his own life. Rewind to Maundy Thursday night. Peter was feeling confident in his high
level of discipleship. Even when Jesus told the disciples about how they were all going to fall away and
deny Jesus, Peter boldly declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29). Peter placed his
confidence and commitment in himself.
I think you know how the story ends. Peter fled with the other disciples and vehemently cursed and
swore he did not know who Jesus was multiple times that very night. Peter let down his spiritual guard,
lost his sense of awareness, and the devil devoured him.
This Bible passage and lesson from Peter’s life stress the importance of not relying on yourself for
spiritual strength. You need to give up! Give up your sense of security in yourself. Your self-control
and awareness can be formed and fostered only with God’s help.
Just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with feeling spiritually strong during Lent and Easter, as long as
that strength is grounded in Christ alone. May God bless the rest of your Lent and Easter celebration as
you give up your sense of security in yourself and focus on security and strength your risen Savior gives
you.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, today I ask you to help me be self-controlled and alert for the devil’s attacks.
Forgive me for times when I rely too much on myself for spiritual strength. Help me to give up
focusing on myself and focus my thoughts, words, and actions on your life, death, and resurrection.
Amen!
Activity: As a family, name other people in the Bible who relied too much on their own spiritual
strength. How did that work out for them?
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