Pride

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6

 

 

As you go along the road of life, do you ever run into that big road block called “pride”? Pride is always lurking around the bend ready to jump into our lives.

Satan loves for us to be prideful because that means we are becoming more like him.  In Proverbs 8:13, God tell us that He hates pride and arrogance. He calls it sin.

We become prideful when we place too much confidence and attention to our own skills, our position, our possessions, or our accomplishments. We dethrone God in our lives and enthrone ourselves. Pride comes from looking only at ourselves. Humbleness comes when we look at God. Pride is a sin that must be confessed. It breaks our fellowship with God and with others.

Pride is a big reason we have so much trouble with confessing mistakes and seeking forgiveness from God and from those we have hurt in some way. Pride makes it difficult for us to accept that we have done wrong. It makes us feel as though we are right and the other person is wrong.

All around us families are breaking up, jobs are being lost, and relationships are being broken because we have set ourselves up on a pedestal. Just think of the professional athletes, politicians, and movie stars who have lost everything because they felt they were above others. They have felt that they have reached the “top of life,” and nothing can happen to them.

Pride is the sin of making “self” our god. It is the greatest curse in our spiritual life. Whenever there is an element of pride or conceit in our lives, Jesus can’t teach us anything. We feel as though we don’t need anyone to help us.

Father, I pray that you will help me to see myself through Your eyes rather than my eyes. I pray that I will be willing to admit and confess the sins in my life.

 Georgia Andrus