“We are addicted to our egotism, our likes and dislikes and prejudices, and depend upon them for our own sense of identity.” –  Karen Armstrong

“The weak are dominated by their ego, the wise dominate their ego, and the intelligent are in a constant struggle against their ego.” – Unknown

“A bad day for your ego is a great day for your soul.” – Jillian Michaels

So much of human nature is driven by ego – our efforts to raise self-esteem, our motives driven by self-satisfaction, and our concerns surrounding self-preservation.

Think about what you do every day and how much of it is centered in ego.  How many of your actions are dictated by how they make you feel in the moment?  How much of what you say, buy, wear, or think is driven by the need to raise self-esteem – how you feel about yourself?  How many of your daily activities are centered in self-preservation – your need to feel safe and secure?

Egotism has a way of distorting our thinking.  The truth is we are one small part of this world, yet our ego makes us believe we are the center of the universe.  We look out for ourselves first and foremost.  We put others down in order to feel better about ourselves.  We prioritize our activities on how they make us feel – not based on what is necessarily right, true, or ultimately best for us and others.

Think about a friend who is visibly upset, and in their rage, say something hurtful and offensive.  How do we generally react in a case like this?  We take it personally.  We focus on how their comments hurt our feelings and our ego.  Often, we say something harsh in our response back – putting them down in order to make us feel more secure and better about ourselves.

Isn’t it funny how we place all the attention on ourselves?  What if, instead of being self-absorbed, we asked ourselves, “I wonder what has happened to my friend that has them so upset?  What is going on in their life that is producing so much rage and anger?”

What you will find out is it’s not about you.  Even if it looks on the surface like it’s about you, if you look a little deeper, you will often find out it is centered in their individual needs, self-esteem, self-gratification, or self-preservation.  The outburst, the anger, the rage is not about you – even though your thoughts and reactions want to believe it is all about you.  There goes that ego again 🙂

The same can be said about how we love someone.  In truth, love should be unconditional – not based on how we feel, how we are treated, or if our desires are met.  Love in its truest form reaches out, is more concerned about the welfare of others, and has little to do with what happens to us in return.  Yet, how often do we abandon our loved ones because they don’t make us feel special, important, satisfied, or secure?  Remember when you love someone, it’s not all about you 🙂

Think about how your ego and the idea “It’s all about me” invades your spirituality and your relationship with God. 

Unfortunately, religion tends to be immersed in ego.  Religious people falsely believe they are better than others who are less spiritual.  Sadly enough, many non-believers avoid a relationship with God based on the self-righteous behavior they observe from Christians.  Who wants to be called a Christian if it means sticking your nose in the air – thinking you are better than everyone else?

Many denominations self-righteously proclaim they will be the only group communing with God in eternity – set apart from others as the only saved and chosen people worthy enough for heaven due to their accurate and insightful interpretation of Scripture. Notice the ego at work – putting others down based on their unbelief or interpreted doctrine in order to raise their own self-esteem and security.

Think about how your ego interferes with your individual relationship with God.

How often do you avoid God because you think He wouldn’t approve of YOUR behavior?  We want to feel good about ourselves and deep down we know we are far from good.  In order to protect our self-esteem, we steer clear of a God we perceive as convicting and condemning.

How often do you ignore your spirituality because it might interfere with your own plans, desires, and adventures?  If you believe God has created you with a specific plan and purpose for your life – what if His plan isn’t in sync with YOUR plan?  Surrendering YOUR life to God’s way is contradictive to your ego – determined to engage in activities that nurture self-satisfaction and self-preservation.

We want to believe the world revolves around us – not that it was created by an all-powerful God to serve His purposes.  Anything larger than ourselves tends to diminish our own worth and dignity.  WE want to be the god of our OWN life.  Ego doesn’t want to serve anything but itself.

But here is the strange contradiction:  It’s not all about you, but God thinks otherwise.  In fact, as far as God is concerned, the world does revolve around you.

In a twisted sort of way, isn’t it funny how the evil, human ego does all it can to avoid God and preserve its own agenda and desires when God is all about making us feel better about who we are, loving us unconditionally, and giving us a security in Him that can’t be matched anywhere or by anybody.

In God’s eyes, we are righteous through Christ.  It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or what we’ll ever do in the future – God’s unconditional love for us is everlasting.  God wants us to see ourselves as He sees us!

In God’s eyes, we are His children, and we all know how parents feel about their children.  Doesn’t a Father want to see His children’s desires fulfilled?  Doesn’t He want them to enjoy their life and to realize their dreams?

God’s plan and pathway for us in this life is far better than any we could construct or design on our own.  It’s a plan based on omniscience – knowing what lies ahead for us and others.  God created us and knows the desires and plans that lie at the center of our heart, in fact, many of them He placed there Himself 🙂

If our ego could see beyond itself, it wouldn’t run from God but run to Him instead.  It would realize that God embodies what we need to feel good about ourselves, to feel satisfied with our life, and to feel safe and secure in all we do.

Today, I hope you give some thought to your ego and how it has shaped your thoughts, activities, and agenda.  I hope you begin to realize it’s not all about you, and I hope in turn, you begin to reach out to a God who thinks otherwise my friend.

God bless!