This is the 3rd of 4 devotions with the theme
From 1 Corinthians 13:5
"Love Is Not Self Seeking”
DEVELOPING SELFLESSNESS
by
Kent Cooley
by
Kent Cooley
(Adapted from 1 Cor. 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:17)
Spring has always been my favorite time of year, so much so that during my childhood and teen years, I would sometimes experience mild depression during the fall and winter months. Instead of enjoying all the seasons, I just enjoyed spring and summer and despised fall and winter. I took some delight in the beauty of the fall colors but knowing that the trees would soon be bare was depressing to me.
It dawned on me one day as I was approaching my 20’s that it was not the will of God for me to be depressed about anything, especially something that is in His grand design such as the four distinct seasons. So I made a choice and a quality decision to enjoy all four seasons. I realized that my favorite season could still be Spring but I would now chose to enjoy the other seasons.
I am older now and the Holy Spirit still continues to teach me to get rid of negative mindsets. The Father has given me all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). Also I am learning to get rid of selfish ways of thinking. For instance, my favorite season may be Spring and my favorite music might be Southern Gospel. What if my neighbor’s favorite season is winter and their favorite music is Contemporary Christian? They should not feel peer pressure from me nor should I feel peer pressure from them. I should not attempt to create them in my image and attempt to make them like what I like.
As a worship leader, I am learning the importance of developing selflessness by considering the kinds of music that the people in the audience might enjoy. It is not at all about the kind of music I relate to but rather about the kinds of music that individuals in the audience relate to. When I lead a congregation in praise worship, I will exhort them to develop selfless thinking by being considerate of one another. We do not want to leave anybody out. A hymn might lift the spirit of an older person while a new chorus might help a young adult to experience the presence of God. It is an oxymoron for a worship leader or a worshiper to attempt to connect with God in a worship service with any sort of selfish thinking that would say “I do not care about what other people want or need. I want my kind of music and I am not going to be considerate of what other people want or need.”
Father, You are love. I am learning that love and selflessness are synonymous and that love and selfishness are incompatible. Thank you for teaching me to develop positive and selfless ways of thinking. I chose to enjoy You. I chose to enjoy all the seasons and I chose to enjoy all Your people and develop a servant’s heart, not for them to serve me but for me to serve them selflessly.
© LoveWalkPublishing Authored by Kent Clifford Cooley
I’M SO GLAD
(Adapted from 1 Cor. 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:17)
Verse:
We enjoy the summer
We enjoy the fall
We enjoy the winter
But most of all
Chorus:
I’m so glad to see Spring here
Flowers are bloomin’
Song birds are singin’
I’m so glad to see Spring here
Everything is coming alive
Bridge:
The calendar has rolled around
To the month of March
And we have been looking forward to Spring
From the bottom of our hearts
© LoveWalkMusic WordsAndMusic by Kent Clifford Cooley
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