From Self-Centered to God-Centered Living

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

In the journey of faith, there is a profound transformation that every believer is called to undergo: the shift from a self-centered life to a God-centered one. This transformation is at the heart of what it means to follow Christ, yet it is often one of the most challenging aspects of our spiritual walk.

The Song of Solomon, as interpreted by Wade Taylor, beautifully illustrates this progression. It begins with the declaration, "My beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 2:16), representing a self-centered spiritual life. Here, the focus is on what we can gain from our relationship with God. It's a starting point for many of us in our faith journey, where we approach God primarily for what He can do for us.

But the journey doesn't end there. The ultimate goal is captured in the bride's final declaration: "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me" (Song of Solomon 7:10). This represents a fully God-centered life, where our primary concern is no longer what we can get from God, but how we can align ourselves with His desires and purposes.

This shift from self-centeredness to God-centeredness is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process. It's a daily dying to self and living for Christ, as Paul describes in Galatians 2:20. But what does this look like in practical terms?

First, we must recognize our natural tendency towards self-centeredness. Even as believers, we often approach our relationship with God from a self-focused perspective. We pray for our needs, our desires, our goals. While there's nothing inherently wrong with bringing our needs to God, if this is the extent of our relationship with Him, we're missing out on the depth and richness of a God-centered life.

The limitations of a self-focused spiritual life become apparent when we face challenges or when God's plans don't align with our own. If our faith is built primarily on what God can do for us, what happens when He doesn't meet our expectations? A self-centered faith is fragile, easily shaken by circumstances.

The process of dying to self is crucial in this transformation. As Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23, KJV). This dying to self is not about self-deprecation or denying our identity. Rather, it's about surrendering our will to God's will, our plans to His plans, our desires to His desires.

Practically, this might mean surrendering our career ambitions to God's calling, giving up personal comforts for the sake of serving others, or choosing to forgive when every part of us wants to hold onto bitterness. It's a daily choice to say, like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42, KJV).

As we embrace this process of dying to self, we begin to experience the paradoxical truth that in losing our life, we find it (Matthew 10:39). We discover that God's plans for us are far greater than anything we could have devised for ourselves. We start to find our fulfillment not in what God can do for us, but in simply being His.

This shift in perspective changes everything. Our prayers move from being wish lists to alignment sessions with God's will. Our service becomes less about obligation and more about joyful participation in God's work. Our worship transforms from a weekend activity to a lifestyle of glorifying God in everything we do.

In this God-centered life, we begin to echo the words of Paul: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21, KJV). Our identity, purpose, and fulfillment are found in Christ alone. We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:15).

This God-centered living doesn't mean we lose our individuality or that our needs and desires become irrelevant. On the contrary, we discover our true selves as we align with God's purposes. As C.S. Lewis famously said, "Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in."

"Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in."

Dear reader, where are you in this journey from self-centered to God-centered living? Are you still holding onto the reins of your life, or have you surrendered them to God? Remember, this is not a journey of perfection, but of progression. Each day presents new opportunities to choose God's will over our own, to find our identity in Christ rather than in our accomplishments or possessions.

As you reflect on this, consider the profound truth in the bride's final declaration: "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me" (Song of Solomon 7:10). In a God-centered life, we find our greatest joy not in possessing God, but in being possessed by Him. We discover that His desire for us far exceeds our desire for Him, and in this realization, we find our true purpose and deepest fulfillment.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we come before You acknowledging our tendency towards self-centeredness. We confess that too often our prayers, our worship, and our service have been more about us than about You. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we've treated You as a means to our own ends rather than the glorious end in Yourself.

We ask for Your help in this journey from self-centered to God-centered living. Grant us the courage to die daily to our selfish desires and ambitions. Help us to take up our cross and follow You, not just in word, but in the reality of our daily choices.

Lord Jesus, You modeled perfect submission to the Father's will. Teach us to pray as You prayed, "Not my will, but Thine be done." When our desires conflict with Your plans, give us the strength to choose Your way over our own.

Holy Spirit, transform our minds. Shift our perspective from earthly concerns to eternal values. Help us to find our identity, purpose, and fulfillment in Christ alone. May our lives increasingly reflect the truth that we are no longer our own, but belong fully to our Beloved.

Father, align our hearts with Yours. May Your desires become our desires, Your priorities our priorities. Let us experience the joy and freedom that comes from a life centered on You rather than on ourselves.

We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us. Amen.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)