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I receive the occasional comment from haters saying something to the effect that “your God is the biggest narcissist of all”. I erase those immediately so as to not let blaspheme continue, but let’s address it.
People may make such a comment for a variety of reasons, but let’s assume they mean that God is narcissistic because He wants worship and obedience. Yes, He does – but the “why” is where they get things backwards, and is the starting point of their blasphemous error. Continue reading
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Let’s take a little side trip here for a small discussion on the biggest of topics. You will soon see it is very relevant to our discussion on insolent pride and narcissism.
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Every of life’s deepest challenges drives us to three most basic of questions:
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As we go about our daily lives, commuting to work, going to the grocery store, watching the game, or planning our next vacation, as we look out the window at gray skies, as we read the mostly awful and contentious news, it is difficult to relate God to our stress-filled and sometimes tedious lives.
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We do not see Him, we see the mess around and in us, and yet we are supposed to place Him at the center of how we operate? We are supposed to respond in kindness to crummy people? It would sure be nice to know that what we base our lives on is actually real, and not a figment of our imagination – as many people seem to think. Some reliable proof of the existence and character of God would be nice.
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In fact, God has given us proof. The first, general proof is in nature, or Creation. While there are non-stop efforts to explain away often obvious facts, the creativity and detail of the world above and around us screams that there is a Creator. The night sky in the Rocky Mountains reveals this small corner the Milky Way galaxy.
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How can you consider the hundreds of billions of these galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars – suns like ours, and not wonder where it all came from? Scientists have tried to explain it all, apart from God, with a big bang theory, but still cannot get to the ultimate origin. What came before the Big Bang? Theories always hit a limit of understanding with respect to everything we see. The more we know about eyes, cells, everything visible and even invisible – the more difficult it is to believe that it happened by chance. This discussion is far beyond the scope of this blog.
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But there is an even more inescapable proof of the reality, love and power of God. The sad fact is that everyone dies – a final and irreversible death. Do you personally know anyone who was dead for multiple days, and then came back to life? The ultimate proof that God is real is the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after His death. The importance of Jesus’ resurrection as a proof of the reality of God is one reason God made sure it was a well-documented fact. There are several sources that discuss this proof, such as here
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If Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is proof of God’s existence – and power – then the events that led to Jesus death are proof of His love.
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But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
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He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 8:32
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And this love is intimate and personal.
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O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139:1-10.
For everyone struggling with a narcissist in their lives, the reality of a wise, infinitely powerful, and personally loving God changes everything.
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19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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When we are in a difficult situation, it is a natural human response to say “it’s too hard” and look for a way out. However, God promises that He will provide what we need – physically, emotionally, spiritually – commensurate to every situation, enabling us to walk the difficult road when needed. This provision and enabling is called “grace”.
[Note: there are times when the correct action is to “avoid” narcissists – this blog post refers specifically to situations when God-given commitments and responsibilities prevent us from being able to avoid the situation].
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2 Corinthians 12:9
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
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2 Corinthians 9:8
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
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Grace has been defined in various ways. The most encompassing way of understanding it is that grace is God’s free and abundant supply of everything we as humans need. This supply begins with life itself, continues with everything needed for sustaining life, and extends to the ultimate solution for our separation from God. It also includes God’s inner influence and empowerment which woos us to Him and imparts the desire and strength to endure trial and resist temptation.
Grace flows from His love for us, even when we do not deserve it (“unmerited favor”). It is a free unearned gift from God whenever it is given, it comes through Jesus by faith, and it is so great that it should result in us joyfully thanking the Lord for it’s provision. It will find it’s fulfillment in our being infinitely blessed by Him for eternity. While God’s goodness provides “common grace” (e.g. – sunshine, etc.) to everyone, there are only two requirements for receiving His specific provision (grace) for specific situations we face in life – faith and humility.
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Digging deeper into this river of God’s supply called grace……. Continue reading
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