Proverbs 18:3 (NLT)
“When the wicked arrive, contempt, shame, and disgrace are sure to follow.”

The Company You Keep

Think about this for a moment: When you arrive, who shows up with you? In Psalm 23, David declares that when the Lord is your Shepherd, “goodness and mercy” follow you all the days of your life. But Proverbs warns that there is a different kind of entourage for the wicked.
When a heart is out of alignment with God, three unwanted guests are sure to follow:
 * Contempt: That constant feeling of being despised or disregarding others.
 * Shame: The heavy, recurring reminders of past failures and poor decisions.
 * Disgrace: The loss of respect, personal dishonor, and disappointment.
If you are constantly running into a wall of discontent and darkness, you have to be honest with yourself. If you find it impossible to enjoy someone else’s success, or if drama seems to be your shadow, it’s time to check the driver. When the “wicked” way of self-will arrives, the bad news is never far behind.

The Practice:

A Self-Inspection

1. Check Your “Followers”
This is a moment for deep self-inspection. Before we point the finger at the “haters” or blame the “system,” we must make sure the problem isn’t looking back at us in the mirror. If you can’t identify why things aren’t moving forward or why the atmosphere turns sour when you walk in, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the “wicked way” in your own heart.
2. From Assistant to Architect
Stop asking God to just “assist” your plans and start allowing Him to lead them. Surrender your perceived right to do things your own way. When you are the one steering, you’re responsible for the “shame” that follows. When He steers, He takes responsibility for the “goodness” that follows.
3. Evict the Self-Centered Jerk
Let’s be blunt: when our focus is entirely on ourselves, we are deaf to God’s directives. Self-centeredness is the open door for contempt and disgrace. When we act outside of God’s will, we are essentially sending out an invitation for shame to come over for dinner. Choose today to shift your focus from “Self” to “Servant.”

Today’s Declaration:

“I am firing ‘Shame’ and ‘Disgrace’ as my companions. I choose to let the Lord be my Shepherd, trusting that as I follow Him, only Goodness and Mercy will be allowed to follow me. I surrender my self-will and my ego at the altar, and I invite the Holy Spirit to lead me into a life that leaves a trail of blessing, not a trail of bitter news.”

You can’t change what’s following you until you change who’s leading you. Today is a great day to make a Fresh Start!
God bless,
+Pastor Kris