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In quiet time, God has been pointing out two huge areas of sin in my life. The two areas that are holding me back from being fully used by God.
In a blog post entitled “I Don’t Love Well,” I shared how I struggle to “love my enemies.” Can I tell you how often in the past few weeks God has provided me with opportunities to love on the “unlovable?” Each time, I hear the Holy Spirit say, “Love as I have loved you.” God is answering my prayers with quiet reminders.
The next area is that of pride.
Read the dictionary’s definition of pride and see if you are struggling as well.
“A feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements”
Pride says it’s all about me, what I have done, what I can do.
At church our pastor shared the following thoughts.
Pride says surely I bring something good to the table – something that God would like or need. Something that would make God want to be my friend.
Trying to prove to others that I have what it takes. Trying to prove to God that I deserve salvation.
The problem is that pride is the opposite of grace. Salvation is not Jesus + my abilities, talents, and works. Salvation = Jesus.
Whenever I try to add to the equation, I am actually subtracting from grace.
Wow… I didn’t realize.
Not only is pride keeping me from loving others, pride is keeping me from fully experiencing grace.
This is something that God has shown me as well. Over the past two years, my heart has been broken and reprogrammed…not that I can say I am humble and proud of it now :)… but that is to say I now recognize that sin in me so much quicker and easier. I am able to go to God at the moment and ask for forgiveness and strength…and humbleness. I have learned to not just ask God for forgiveness for my pride, but to ask Him for His help in replacing it with humbleness. God has no need or place for human pride, and I am thankful for that!
Stacy
Stacy – Thank you for sharing these thoughts. So true!