Tag: humble spirit

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God resists the proud

resists the proud

I’ve learned over the years that when I stand in my own importance, my own right, my own preferences at the detriment of another that the struggle with that person becomes intense and painful. These struggles always last much longer than any of the conflicts do where I CHOOSE to make an effort to see the issue from the other person’s perspective. When I step out of my own sense of self and attempt to understand the needs of the other person, the conflict lessens, and the hostilities dissipate. Even when I don’t agree. Even when I don’t want to soothe things over – i.e. I would rather fight until I dominate the other person. Even when I really want my own way. When I overcome myself, the battle with the other person is basically over… because my true fight is with my pride.

I am continually amazed by the near immediate diffusion of tensions when I am able to communicate an appreciation or understanding of the other person’s point or position. I may not agree with them, but I can begin to see where they are coming from. And that within itself is the beginning of a meeting of minds, also known as agreement and unity.  

Today’s lesson: God is not interested in what you think of yourself when your thoughts do not line up with His thoughts for you and your relationships. It is important to know what God thinks of you, how He hears you and how He sees you. It does your life no good for God to be against you… or rather, for you to be against God. So lay down your pride and avoid experiencing God’s opposition to you. Embrace humbleness in your spirit and experience God’s abounding grace.

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Pride

Pride. Such a simple word capable of great destruction.

Pride doesn’t necessarily start off looking like a bad thing, though. People can “be proud of” someone and proud of their accomplishments. If it stops there – simply an impressed celebratory reaction to an element of life – no big deal. But pride rarely stops there.

Look at sports fanatics and political diehards for example. The fanatic and the diehard started out as people who were most likely proud of some aspect of the team or political leanings they support. However repeated exposure to the object or idea of their pride increases their intensity.

We may not all be fanatics or diehards with our pride, but we are all affected when we elevate any thought in our hearts and mind. Eventually, our spirits are exposed to the corrosive side-effect of pride.

Pride is a spirit fueled by the idea that we are greater than what we are. We come to believe our greatness is greater than those who disagree with us and maybe even those who do agree with us.

We are created in the likeness of greatness, but we were not created to be greater than our Creator or our co-creation. When we are able to accept our greatness with a humbleness of spirit – which is knowledge that all that we are is a gift of grace not an act of our will or product of our effort – only then will we walk clear of the fall pride has prepared for us.