"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Pride is very deceptive sin, and we are all susceptible. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Listen to this familiar story found in Luke 18:10-14: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Which of these two represents the good church-goer? It is the prideful Pharisee, not the despised tax collector. God is much more interested in our heart condition than in any appearance of success.
Success has a tendency to encourage pride. Deuteronomy 8:13-14 says, "ans when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heat will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God." You can start off in the right direction. You can give. God will bless you abundantly. But somewhere down the road, there is a trap laid for you. Even in the midst of all God's blessing, there is a trap for the unwary.
Life starts to lose some of its struggle. Things get soft, comfortable. You start thinking that you did it, that you somehow deserve the easier life. that you are not like other men, as the Pharisee thought in the story. You start taking on a false self-importance.
You forget that it is all by God's grace, and start taking some of the glory for yourself. When this happens, and it can creep up on you slowly, it is time to repent, to humble yourself once more before God. He deserves all the glory for anything good that happens to you.
How can we stay humble in the midst of blessing? By focusing our lives on God and His program for us rather than on ourselves and our circumstances. It all goes back to our motivation to give in the first place. If we give with the motivation of receiving, rather than furthering God's will in the world, we will be much more susceptible to pride when we prosper. We need to deliberately humble ourselves. Everyone has a tendency toward being prideful. It just seems to show itself more under blessing and easy circumstances. So deliberately humble yourself before God regularly, giving Him all the glory for all you are and have and ever will be.
Another way we can protect ourselves from the pride trap is to make a decision ahead of time. Decide before you get "rich" that you will always continue to live a modest lifestyle here on earth regardless of how you are blessed. There is much enormous need in the world. Bless others, not yourself. Of course, even that can be a pride trap. After all, Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understands it?" And so we will still need to humbly confess our sins before God regularly.
Whatever your circumstances, do not let the fear of becoming prideful keep you from giving. That is a healthy kind of fear. It is keeping a guard on your heart.
Life starts to lose some of its struggle. Things get soft, comfortable. You start thinking that you did it, that you somehow deserve the easier life. that you are not like other men, as the Pharisee thought in the story. You start taking on a false self-importance.
You forget that it is all by God's grace, and start taking some of the glory for yourself. When this happens, and it can creep up on you slowly, it is time to repent, to humble yourself once more before God. He deserves all the glory for anything good that happens to you.
How can we stay humble in the midst of blessing? By focusing our lives on God and His program for us rather than on ourselves and our circumstances. It all goes back to our motivation to give in the first place. If we give with the motivation of receiving, rather than furthering God's will in the world, we will be much more susceptible to pride when we prosper. We need to deliberately humble ourselves. Everyone has a tendency toward being prideful. It just seems to show itself more under blessing and easy circumstances. So deliberately humble yourself before God regularly, giving Him all the glory for all you are and have and ever will be.
Another way we can protect ourselves from the pride trap is to make a decision ahead of time. Decide before you get "rich" that you will always continue to live a modest lifestyle here on earth regardless of how you are blessed. There is much enormous need in the world. Bless others, not yourself. Of course, even that can be a pride trap. After all, Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understands it?" And so we will still need to humbly confess our sins before God regularly.
Whatever your circumstances, do not let the fear of becoming prideful keep you from giving. That is a healthy kind of fear. It is keeping a guard on your heart.
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