Romans 15:17 – Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.

If Paul ever engages in any kind of boasting, it is not in his own abilities that he glories, but in Jesus Christ alone. Also, it is not in his own achievements but in what God has produced through him. Therefore, as a humble servant of Jesus, you should never engage in improper boasting, but rather you must be conscious of the fact that God is using you to accomplish His purposes. Any temptation to pride is tempered by the realization that you are nothing apart from Him, that you have nothing except what you has received from Him, and that you can do nothing for Christ except by the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells you and empowers you. Paul will glory only in what Christ has done through him. He is sure that Christ has done great things through him, and he is glad that he can draw attention to those things. But he is not trying to attract admiration. It is what Christ has done that is his concern.

Challenge:

There is always a good reason to glory in Christ. In fact, your own transformed life is a great reason to boast. The things the Lord has been showning you lately is another. You see, you may get a little bummed out at the things you are doing, but if you can see what God is doing, you can’t help but be thankful. So, your challenge this week is to boast in the abilities God has given you and how He is desiring to use you to point people to Him. Tell someone what Jesus has done for you recently and let them know how grateful you are to Him for doing so. Even the smallest of blessings from God are to be praised. Perhaps God has given you great peace in the middle of a difficult storm in your life? Maybe He has opened a door of opportunity that has been closed for a long time? Has the Lord restored a broken relationship between you and an old friend or family member? You see, all of these kinds of things are blessings from God and are to be credited to His amazing grace. I bet if you think hard enough, you will realize that you have a reason to glory in Jesus, just like the apostle Paul did in his life. I thank God for all He has done in my life and I’m sure you have reason to do the same. Have a blessed week.