“…but to this one will I look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:2
It never ceases to amaze me how often enthusiasm for God can be mistaken for spiritual conviction. Not that being enthusiastic about serving the Lord is wrong. Quite the opposite, it is a commendable result for any believer who has an intimate knowledge of God. But when our enthusiasm shortcuts God’s foundational blue print for what He looks for in his people, then it is wrong! We often get the idea that to be effective in following and serving the Lord, it is the measure of our personal or collective enthusiasm that will determine spiritual success. This encourages Christians to soak up all the ‘hype’ and ‘feel good’ motivational ‘talks’ that are fed to them. But is that what the all-seeing eye of God really wants to see in His people? I suggest not.
Alistair Beg has this to say:
“God is not looking for the powerful and the successful and those who are able communicators. Instead, He looks for the person who has a broken and contrite spirit. Those individuals, whether they are extroverted or introverted, humorous or melancholy, are regularly in the quiet place bowing before God’s Word with a trembling heart and seeking fresh enabling from the Holy Spirit. They have been brought to see that they did not make themselves, nor did they save themselves. They are totally dependent upon God’s grace.”
(Made For His Pleasure, Moody Press, 1996, p. 164.)