When I read the epistles of Paul, I feel like he and I have something in common. I think we both are natural born boasters. Boasting is so much a part of my life that I don’t even notice that I do it. When I’m really good at it, other people don’t notice either.

I boast about drinking 65 ounces of water a day. Now isn’t that a stupid thing to boast about? In case you are one who doesn’t know this about me, now you do. There I go boasting again. You may think, What is so wrong with boasting about that? I hope to think I’m not obnoxious about it. But I boast nonetheless.

1 Corinthians 1:28-29 says, He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. As I was reading, it hit me. The worst thing I can do to hurt my spiritual life is to boast.

Boasting is truly dangerous spiritual ground. In fact, the first sinner, Satan, was one to boast. He was the wisest and most beautiful of all created beings (Gen 3:1; Ezekiel 28:12-19). It makes me want to carefully examine my life for areas of boasting.

I have no problem when it comes to salvation. I’ve just done too much to break God’s laws not to know that my salvation is by faith in Christ’s righteousness. I have no claim to my own works and obedience to God. In fact, I can only question in light of all that Christ has done for me in redeeming me from sin and sending the Holy Spirit to live in me, why do I still sin? Why do I still have a boasting problem?

My problem with boasting is that it’s about the things that I do through the Holy Spirit. I like to take credit for much of that. I think I’m the one who writes these Tea Time for Your Soul articles (Even though I am in a great hurry to finish, and had no idea in exactly what chapter the description of Satan was found in Ezekiel and my Bible opened right to chapter 28, why do I boast?) I try to take credit for the things I have, like they weren’t given to me by God. I boast about the response to the ministry I do. Not good; not good at all.

I’m so grateful that in reading Paul’s comments on boasting I can get a sense that he had this trouble too. He found the way to overcome it. Only boast about God. So next time you catch yourself boasting, think of how the real credit goes to God. Rather than boasting in yourself, delight in God’s generous love and trust to allow you victory in whatever area in which you boast. Remember that boasting isn’t a little thing; it’s deadly to your spiritual life.

Note: There are links to Biblegateway.com for all the Scripture used in this devotional. Let me know if you like this feature.