“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
When I look back over the course of my adult life I am sickened by the times when I sought glory for myself. Past days of showcasing Brenda instead of God makes my heart sink as I blocked the way for God’s glory to reveal itself in my life. Those times were times when I allowed pride to rule my heart instead of humility.
Pride is a horrible bedfellow and he wreaks havoc in our relationships, our finances and our ministries. Pride is the reason we cannot easily forgive our spouse...the reason why our children never hear an ‘I’m sorry’ when appropriate. It can be the reason we don’t use our resources to help others; after all we work hard for our money and deserve to enjoy it. Pride is the reason we suffer challenges and can’t even see that God is doing something new. Pride is the reason we feel jealous of others and bitter for their accomplishments. Pride is a partner who protects his territory relentlessly and never misses a chance to remind us of how we were wronged. He tells us we deserve to buy that item even if we must secretly obtain it. He encourages us to take control at work at all costs, and fight for whatever we must. Pride keeps score like none other and constantly shows the subtraction in our lives...what it is we might be losing. Pride is a poser holding up mirrors to reflect our own desires and entitlements. It is the evil that got Satan expelled from Heaven, and Adam and Eve banished from Eden. ‘The most effective means the enemy has to keep believers from being full of the Spirit is to keep us full of ourselves.’ Living Free, p. 58.
God replaces pride with humility and we all know the price. Many times humility comes about through ugly and very public seasons, but it is essential in connecting with God’s heart. God desires to work through us to reveal His glory and share His character. ‘To fulfill our God-given destinies...we must overcome the temptation to seek our own glory by desiring His instead.’ Living Free, p 60.
“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word” Isaiah 66:2.
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