Pride and Bending Low Memory Monday

My heart clenches and my my throat feels tight. I recognize the seed of the feeling. It is a battle that rages around me often. The battle of pride.

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”  C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I hate the ugly ways it turns me into a complainer or a doubter. I spew ugly words, think ugly thoughts, and the acid eats away at my peace and contentment.

How do I lay down this ugly pride? How do I stop comparing my strengths with others weaknesses?

God’s voice whispers against my soul. . . “Look at Me.”

There with my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, I fall to my knees. I am but a heap of dust and my gifts are only undeserved presents from my loving Creator. The idea of comparing my mound of dust to someone else’s mound suddenly appears ludicrous. God’s majesty and holiness shines a light on the ugliness of my pride.

Then I have a choice. I can continue in my pride and cling to the gifts God has given me. I can let the acid of pride eat away at my peace and contentment or like Isaiah I can fall to my knees and cry out the truth, “Woe is me for I am a woman of unclean lips.” (see Isaiah 6) Isn’t it there bent low that God fills us with His peace and He sweeps away our pride?

So I pray I stay bent low as I live my life – bent low and filled by God.

How is God calling you to bend low this week? How can I pray for you?

This week we will continue to work on Psalm 40:1-2. We are reviewing before we move on to verse three next week.