…it is from our pride that we need, above everything else, to be redeemed. And our insight into the need of redemption will largely depend upon our knowledge of the terrible nature of the power of pride that has entered our being.
Ahhhhh...pride! The one thing in a person's life (at least, in mine) which is most difficult to overcome and conquer. If I could just beat this, everything else would fall into place. But I can't, no matter how hard I try.
For me, pride is an overweening belief and confidence in my own abilities, talents, and skills. Ironically, these do not stem from any self-derived source, but were given to me. To trust in myself is a delusion and I know it, but I find myself unable to change that on my own. Heck, on my own, I don't want to change that, hence the ongoing struggle within my soul.
Conquering pride requires total surrender to God and His will. It is impossible to overcome without following the example set by Christ and there is so much in me that simply refuses to go down that road. Even after nearly 67 years of learning the hard way that pride is destructive, I still give in to the temptation to pat myself on the back.
Nevertheless, there is hope. I still have the rest of my life, a few short years, to make some progress on this front.
What got me started on this road was a book, "Unconditional Surrender", by Gary North. I read it for the first time about 45 years ago and, for the first time in my life, had a vague understanding what it meant to bow before God. Since then it has been a continuous battle between us, with the inevitable knuckling under on my part. Stubbornly, of course, but it is getting easier.
Ahhhhh...pride! The one thing in a person's life (at least, in mine) which is most difficult to overcome and conquer. If I could just beat this, everything else would fall into place. But I can't, no matter how hard I try.
For me, pride is an overweening belief and confidence in my own abilities, talents, and skills. Ironically, these do not stem from any self-derived source, but were given to me. To trust in myself is a delusion and I know it, but I find myself unable to change that on my own. Heck, on my own, I don't want to change that, hence the ongoing struggle within my soul.
Conquering pride requires total surrender to God and His will. It is impossible to overcome without following the example set by Christ and there is so much in me that simply refuses to go down that road. Even after nearly 67 years of learning the hard way that pride is destructive, I still give in to the temptation to pat myself on the back.
Nevertheless, there is hope. I still have the rest of my life, a few short years, to make some progress on this front.
Roger: "Conquering pride requires total surrender to God and His will."
Amen, brother. Once I finish this series on this book, "Humility," I will begin another book by the same author: "Absolute Surrender."
For now, there are 3 more posts on Humility, scheduled once a week every Monday.
What got me started on this road was a book, "Unconditional Surrender", by Gary North. I read it for the first time about 45 years ago and, for the first time in my life, had a vague understanding what it meant to bow before God. Since then it has been a continuous battle between us, with the inevitable knuckling under on my part. Stubbornly, of course, but it is getting easier.