Pride has many faces, some of which are very subtle, but it can be identified by elevated or exalted thoughts about self, affecting how we see ourselves compared to others and even influencing how we come before God (Luke 18.11).
The desire and motivation of my heart and life should be to know God and draw near to Him, yet God says the proud He knows afar off (Ps138.6). He resists the proud (1Pet5.5, Jam4.6), and the proud in heart are an abomination to Him (Prov16.5). Pride will distance me from God and block His working in my life.
Firstly I must recognise where pride may exist in me, so that I can root it out. Then I need to be diligent in preventing seeds of pride accessing my heart, being ruthless in keeping myself free from pride in all its forms.
Pride gains access through forgetfulness. Forgetting my former condition prior to knowing Christ, forgetting the true perspective of my life relative to the eternal, Almighty God (Ps144.3-4, Job38&39, Is40.17).
I need to remember the rock from which I was hewn (Is51.1): the place from which God has taken me. Ever mindful that my life is only a vapour that is on this earth for a short time (Jam4.14) and is like grass (1Pet1.24). Numbering my days in light of the eternity ahead (Ps90.12) and remembering that my life is not my own (1Cor6.19-20) and that all I have I've received by God's grace (1Cor4.6-7).
Keeping in memory these truths as well as having an attitude of total dependence upon God will raise a guard against pride.
May God grant me the clearness of vision to see myself as I truly am, and that I may walk humbly with Him (Micah6.8)
- sent from Palm T|T3
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