Am I being selfish?
I have thought about that question more in recent times.
If you have had that question, here are some of my ponderings that may help you to sort that out.
For me, I have come over the years more and more to desire God's Kingdom to become a reality here on earth, in my lifetime. Now if you are familiar with the Bible and Jesus teachings, you understand that we all should have that desire, because that is what Jesus taught us to pray:
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
(Matthew 6:9-11 NKJV)
But I have had the thought that maybe I want that, because I want a better life here, rather than because God wants it.
Well, on the other hand, if I didn't actually want His Kingdom to come, that would be much worse. Right?
I think it may be that the question is part of the problem. What do you mean when you are wondering if you are "selfish"?
Well we could start with some fairly obvious examples; If you want some item that belongs to another person, and you are thinking about how you could get it, well, yes that would be selfish, if you getting it would mean taking it away from the other person. But if you want to spend some of your own money to get one of your own, that may not be selfish.
We all have desires. Some desires may be selfish, but not all are. When we desire things that would benefit others, that would not be selfish.
Some things that we may desire for ourselves, would allow us to more effectively help others, and that would be less selfish than things that are only for ourselves.
Some last thoughts about desires ...
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalm 37:4)
I understand this verse in two ways:
- God will give you the desire;
He will put that desire in your heart.
- And then He will give you what your heart desires.
He does both.
So certainly those desires that God has put in your heart are not selfish;
Don't let anyone tell you they are!