Deception That Can Trip You
There’s a deceptive sin that can keep us from walking in
love: pride. It’s deceptive because when you have pride, you’re usually too proud
to admit it. We need to take this issue of pride seriously. Proverbs 16:5 (AMP)
says, “Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and
exceedingly offensive to the Lord….”
Pride is an independent, me-oriented spirit. It makes people
arrogant, rude and hard to get along with. When our heart is prideful, we don’t
give God the credit and we mistreat people, looking down on them and thinking
we deserve what we have.
It’s Not About Us
Sadly, the truth is, there aren’t many people who can be put
in high positions who won’t start thinking highly of themselves.
God wants us to be dependent on Him rather than thinking we can do things ourselves and then take the credit when good things happen. It’s foolish for us to do this because the reality is our gifts, talents and abilities come from God (see John 3:27). We can’t take credit for them.
God wants us to be dependent on Him rather than thinking we can do things ourselves and then take the credit when good things happen. It’s foolish for us to do this because the reality is our gifts, talents and abilities come from God (see John 3:27). We can’t take credit for them.
My ability to communicate is a gift from God. I thank Him
for it and want to use it for His service. Whatever you do well, realize that
it’s not because of you – it’s because God has enabled you to do it well. It’s
all about Him, not us.
Check Your Heart for Pride
I realize this is a hard message to hear. But we need to be
honest about pride in our lives because if we aren’t, we will create a
separation between us and God. And that’s the worst condition we can be in.
If you want to check your heart to see if you’re proud in an
ungodly way, ask yourself:
- How
am I treating people?
- How
do I think about others?
- Do I
talk about myself more than I talk about God and what He’s done?
The good news is, we can humble ourselves and turn a bad
situation around. Give God the glory for the good things in your life and show
His righteousness by helping others—the poor, needy and oppressed. Make it all
about Jesus.
Choose godly humility. With every success you have, tell the
Lord, “I know I’m nothing without You. I can do nothing without You and I’m
successful because of You.” When people compliment you, thank them and give
them back to God. That’s where the glory really belongs. It’s all about Him.