Expanding My World View

Scripture:
"God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations." Psalm 67: 1-2

Observation:
This verse stands out to me this morning like a watchman screaming from a tower. The weight of its conviction sits upon my chest and labors my breathing. The entire chapter is a call to God to allow His name, glory, and face to be known to the entire world. It has reminded me this morning just how self centered I am. I want God to bless me. I want him to bless my state. I want him to bless my nation. I pray for these things often. I seek these things often. But just how often am I broken hearted for the world that does not know Him? God's heart is for all lost people. Every tribe, every nation, every person is on His heart. I know this and deep down I want it so what is keeping me from expanding my world view?

Application:
The first thing that I feel is hindering my world view is my own personal struggles. It is hard to stand before God in peace knowing that I have things in my life left unsettled. I am not talking about general sin. My sinful nature will always be active as long as I am alive on this earth. I will continually sin and always rely on God's grace. It is the pattern sins I am talking about. Those aspects of my life that I tolerate, excuse, ignore or continue to practice; knowing with full knowledge God's displeasure with them. These major areas of darkness consume my energy and prevent me from looking past my own sin to see the lost world around me.

The second thing that I feel is hindering my world view is apathy. Apathy is defined as the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. I have become apathetic towards the suffering of the world and I have done it on purpose. I have done it to protect myself. Looking upon the suffering of the world is overwhelming. It causes me to doubt God. It torments my thoughts. It urges me to give a rip and change how I live life. I have a responsibility to lost, lonely, abandoned, hurting and forgotten peoples of the world. This is His charge to all of those who walk according to His ways. I have suppressed this call and wrapped myself up in my own little world with my own little problems.

Prayer:
I could continue making excuses and listing the reasons, but I need not do this any longer. I am self absorbed and self centered. I want You to move in my life because it is more convenient for me when You do. That is my truest intention and I have to confess it to You this morning as my greatest sin. Move me past my own personal struggles so that I am confidently planted in Your love for me. In this, allow Your face to brightly shine upon me so that I may be known by the world as one who walks with God. Manifest Yourself in my life in a manner that is undeniably different from anything attainable by man alone. Let Your peace, presence and fragrance follow me everywhere I go. I pray that You protect my heart, soul and emotions as I open myself up to the pain in the world. The suffering I see around me is more than I can bear on my own. Help me to know clearly Your plans to reach the lost and the lonely... whether that is the forgotten children of South America, the starving Somali people of Kenya, or the abused and abandoned living right down the street. It is overwhelming and the amount of need greatly exceeds my personal capacity. I pray that You guide my steps, my thoughts and my heart. Allow me to see clearly the plans You have for me.