One thought that will help you through certain difficulties especially is that of something or Someone always being bigger than what you are.  When God is magnified, you and your problems seem smaller.  The whole church is bigger than you are.  The cause of and for God is bigger than you are.  When you enlarge yourself, you’re going to have trouble.  It starts with a thought process—God being honored in your mind.  Like John the Baptist said, “He must increase and I must decrease.”  What happens when you become bigger is that you really do take charge.  You expect God to do things that He didn’t promise you that He would do.  You want others to fulfill for you things that you are and were responsible to do.  The world begins revolving around you and your wants or needs.  Of course, this is pride, but it is a sure path to bitterness as well.  You hold others to a much higher standard than you hold yourself.  God and others become the excuse for why things haven’t turned out the way that you wanted for yourself.  In the end, God resists you and this way of thinking, because God resists the proud.  We should be humbled by all the goodness that God has shown us, especially His mercy in light of the sure justice that we deserve.  That will help you seem smaller and less important.  The world will revolve less around you and more around God and others.