Day 9 - Yubin Kim

Is there a specific Bible passage or verse that comes to mind in the context of “Less of Me and More of Him”?

2 Corinthians 12:1-10  “I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

I always admired Paul’s faith and obedience to Christ. How does one come to that point in faith where he can completely lay himself down in obedience to God? He could have easily turned away from God and praised himself, considering his circumstances. But he didn’t. He chose to stick by God through them because he knew He was worth it. Then I need to ask myself, “Is he worth it? Is he worth my every suffering and hardship? Can I still say wholeheartedly that God is good? Even if God did not give me what I desired, can I still say that He is good and faithful and continue to praise His name?” I pray that I may be able to rejoice in my struggles and boast all the more in my weaknesses so that He may be glorified in me. 

Briefly explain which areas of your life you find most difficult to surrender to Christ.

I find pride to be the most difficult to surrender. I’ve always struggled with the need to prove myself to others. It was never enough for me to just have Christ. His love wasn’t enough for me. So, I sought after love from others. The treasures stored up in heaven were not enough for me, so I ran after self-glorification through possessions and people. I was foolish to think that what others said about me was more important than what God said. I refused to believe that a perfect Father could love someone as broken as me. 

Share the areas of your life that have shifted from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness.

I began to shift from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness when I admitted defeat. God’s love was always incomprehensible to me; I didn’t understand why someone so perfect and blameless would go so far for me to know Him. But when I stopped trying to understand it with my head and received it in my heart, it became clear. The more I fell in love with God, the more I couldn’t turn away from Him. I will never feel worthy of His love, but God will never stop loving me. And for that reason, I will lay my life before Him again and again.

What are some practical ways you can display Christ to those around you?

I can display Christ to others in the same way that Paul did— rejoicing in suffering. I hope to be the kind of person who reflects Christ and shows others the same love that Christ showed me.