The arrogance of annoyance

I have been aware more and more in my life how easily I get annoyed–usually at the small things of life that make my life not run as smoothly as I had planned (notice how many first person personal pronouns are in that sentence).  God is teaching me that being annoyed is in most cases an issue of arrogance which is a fancy word for pride.  And pride is sin.

It is only by God’s grace then that when I came across this prayer several days ago that I didn’t get annoyed, but rather the Holy Spirit convicted me of how much I am in need of His grace and power to overcome by sinful habit  of being annoyed.

Perhaps some of my readers will also relate to this humbling prayer. Thanks, Scotty, for writing it and thanks Lord for letting me see this sin that besets me.

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Encouragement for mothers

D. A. Carson:

Martyn Lloyd-Jones once spoke with a group of medical students who complained that in the midst of their training and the ferocious work hours they really didn’t even have time to read the Bible and have their devotions and so on. He bristled and said, “I am a doctor. I have been where you are. You have time for what you want to do.” After a long pause he said, “I make only one exception: the mother of preschool-aged children does not have time and emotional resources.”

It is important to recognize, too, that there are stages of life where you really don’t have time to do much, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Children will sap you. If you have three children under the age of six, forget serious reading unless you have the money for a nanny. When our youngest finally went off to kindergarten, we celebrated that day—I took my wife out for lunch. Only then could she get back into reading again. It’s the way life is. You have to be realistic.

HT:  Andy Naselli)

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Question of the day; Piper answers

Here’s a question for today that most of would not be bold enough to answer publicly so I don’t expect many comments.

Question: What has been your biggest spiritual struggle and how did you get victory over it?

John Piper gives his answer here (and I have a suspicion many can identify with him on this one)

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