Read James 4:6 God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Did you know that there are some things you can do knowingly or unknowingly that actually repel God’s presence in your life? There are times when He will not show up, when we turn Him off and push Him away. If you want to make choices that actively attract God’s presence in your life, then you’ve got to understand where the real war is.
It’s inside. The real problem is pride. I want it; I deserve it; I will have it; and I don’t care what it costs or who it hurts. And it has devastating consequences.
Take this “Do-I-have-a-pride-problem?” quiz: Answer “Yes” or “No”.
- Have you been thinking of someone else who desperately needs to read this?
- Do you think you are better than some people because of your nationality, social class, or marital status?
- Do you think you are incapable of certain sins? Are these some sins that you feel pretty sure in your heart that you will never commit?
- Are you harder on other people than you are on yourself?
- Do you think about yourself a lot? How you appear? What people think of you? How you are fitting in?
- Do you resent taking this quiz or refuse to participate?
If you answered “yes” to six of the questions, you have a pride problem.
If you answered “yes” to two to five of the questions, you have a pride problem. If you answered “yes” to one or none of the questions, you have a very big pride problem.
The good news is James 4:6 promises that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In the midst of this big problem, He is tirelessly on our side. He meets our needs. His resources are never-ending. His patience is never exhausted. His initiative never stops. His generosity knows no limit. He gives more grace.
God is willing to do everything possible to free you from the debilitating consequences of your pride if you come to Him with an attitude of dependence. The questions is, “Are you willing to let Him do the things that He needs to do to make that change in your life?”
-James MacDonald-
Responding - Do I have a pride problem? What is it going to take for me to go to God with full dependence?
Following - Abandon your pride and embrace the grace offered to the humble.
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