When you enter the house of God, leave your ego at the door. This is no place for pride. It is a place instead for humility and love.
When you enter the house of God, leave any sense that you have a right to be there without. You are there not for what you have done, but because of what God has done. Your status is as filthy rags in front of a righteous God.
When you enter the house of God, instead, think of what good you can do and how you can help.
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The peace of God comes when we do not think of ourselves, but of others. It is not about pulling others down, it is about building others up.
Scott was shown this my his wife, who noted that this was designed to discourage, and make her resentful. He posted:
When I go to confession, my priest in his totally awesome Serbian accent always comes to this part of the sacrament:
Scott. As you know, God is not willing to forgive those who do not also have forgiveness in their hearts for the ones they have something against. So, do you have anything against any brothers or sisters you need to let go of and confess?I always know its coming. And every time, I’m not prepared for it. I stutter through it, squirm, etc. But on my knees with that stole on my head in front of the altar, kind of makes it imperative to search yourself. I think God will strike me dead if I don’t assess that part accurately.
All of spiritual discipline is like that. I figure, if its something that you personally find hard to do–but God asks you to do it anyway, you should probably do more of it. Struggle with overeating? Restrict your calories more. Struggle with loving your wife even when she is acting unlovable? Love her more. Struggle with obeying your husband because you think you know better? Submit and get over yourself.
If is easy to run fuelled by resentment. To think yourself righteous, to consider that you are better than any. To clothe yourself in resentment and neglect to care for those around you.
When you enter the house of God, Forgive others. You will then find that you need to ask for forgiveness. For you have not loved perfectly. You have not acted perfectly. And you will leave your ego at the door.