Double Down on Pride

I’m an avid reader. I have half a dozen or more books started and am listening to a couple of others. I’m also a “news junky.” I read too many blogs and news conglomerates every week. I can’t stop myself! The appetite for words is too powerful for me to resist. Over the last couple of days, some thoughts about pride have jumped off the pages I’ve been reading. I’m trying to figure out the message being sent and what I’m supposed to do about it. “Pride doesn’t die easily.” Jeremy Norton Pride is what creates insecurity and feelings of unworthiness in a person and pride is also what makes a person secure in their self-righteousness and goodness. Then the clincher … PRIDE ALWAYS MAKES A PERSON FOCUS ON THE SELF. (From: What Does It Mean to Be Chosen? - Volume 1 - The Chosen Bible Study Series) That’s it. PRIDE ALWAYS MAKES A PERSON FOCUS ON THE SELF. I spend too much time focused on myself. I’m always concerned about whether I did enough or too much, said enough or too much, or paid enough or too little attention to someone. I worry about what they thought, what they liked or didn’t like. If I say “NO” to them, what will they think? If I say “YES” to others, what will they think? Right there … That’s it … I used “I” in describing how I focus too much on myself. These thoughts have made me realize I need to double down on pride and apply the Apostle Peter’s words: “Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God … Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT) and double down on Jesus’ brother, James words: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (NLT) Humbling oneself “under the mighty power of God” doesn’t come easy. Like every other person since Adam and Eve, focusing on ME is the default response to life. Jesus, forgive me for focusing on me! Weed out every thistle of pride from my life and teach me to live in humility! Amen