Grace to the Humble

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6.

The word resist is to oppose and stand firm against somebody or something. With that definition at the base of this small verse we see that God doesn’t remove Himself from someone who has a humility problem. We see that instead God engages in opposition to that person standing firm in action.

Pride is one of the most destructive heart attitudes in our lives. It invades without warning and derails God’s plans and purposes for our lives. Pride leads to self-deception – ‘Your fierceness has deceived you, the pride of your heart…Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says the Lord.’ Jer. 49:16. Pride will make a person foolish – ‘Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.’ Prov. 26:12. Pride will hinder a person from coming to God – ‘The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.’ Psalm 10:4.

Pride must be constantly checked at the door leaving it behind when entering into fellowship with God. We can be aligned with God’s will but still have a sense of unconfessed pride in certain areas of our lives. Unconfessed pride is an area in our lives that we are unwilling to totally surrender. This unwillingness to surrender is basically telling God, ‘I cannot let go of this …. I must do it this way… I know best!’ God will seek out and remove the areas of pride for which we hold on too tightly. He knows that any element of pride will lead to sin and create a barrier between His heart and the heart of His child.

In Christianity the meaning of grace is the infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill shown to humankind by God. The verse is simple and clear: We can receive God’s opposition or we can receive this beautiful condition of grace.