What really concerns us about our sin

“When we sin we are more vexed at the lowering of our self-esteem than we are grieved at God’s dishonor. We are surprised and irritated at our own lack of self-control in subjecting ourselves to unworthy habits…the first cause of this is self-love, which is unable to stand the disappointment of not seeing ourselves in time of trial come out beautiful, erect, and admirable.”

— Frederick Faber (19th century British writer) on our common distorted motivations for pursuing holiness and change. Quoted by Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, 149