Loosing the Bonds that Hold You
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24
The last three pages have dealt with the letting go of what we once believed we controlled. In essence, the first three pages are more a matter of surrender, more passive than active. Now, we get to where the rubber meets the road. There are many stumbling blocks between us and God. There are many things that keep us from experiencing his fellowship in its fullness. Now is the time to begin to clear those things away. Read the passage above again. This is the time to begin this process. This process is going to take some time. It must not be hurried. We are going to follow scripture to see what offensive ways there are within us. First, realize No temptation has seized you except what is common to man (I Corinthians 10:13a).
Sin and sinful nature is common to all mankind. We must realize that no matter how terrible we might think we are, nor how good we might think we are, we are not what we should be. In working through these next few pages we are going to ask the Lord to reveal to us those areas that we need to let him have his way in our lives. Salvation is by faith and faith alone. However, over and over in scripture we are told to turn from our wicked ways (I Peter 3:11, Acts 3:19, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ezekiel 33:11). Now what are those wicked ways? How does the sinful nature manifest within you? Let us seek God’s word as you make a list of all that you find, good and bad, within you. Right now we are only out to make the list. Be as honest as you can. We will cover what to do with it when we are done listing.
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13
...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” I Peter 5:5b
Now, we could look at more and more passages on pride, but you get the point. Pride is a sin and it is coupled with arrogance and a haughty spirit in scripture. To be prideful is “to have an over high opinion of oneself; exaggerated self-esteem; conceit: to take delight in one’s achievements, possessions, children, etc: to always desire to be the best” (Webster‘s Dictionary, World Book Dictionary). “To be arrogant means thinking of oneself more important that one is and showing it by treating others in a domineering and insulting way“ (World Book Dictionary). “Haughty means feeling oneself superior to others and showing it by treating them with cold indifference and scorn” (World Book Dictionary). I remember the first person that suggested that I might be prideful and my reaction to their suggestion. I could not believe that there was anything even similar to pride within me, until I began to look, honestly, at my actions and attitudes towards others. Today, we are going to ask the Lord to seek out how pride is at work in your life. I am wording the following questions in first person so you can apply them to your life.
1. Even though I may not verbalize it, do I believe my ways are better than the ways of those around me? Give an example of this in your life.
2. Am I able to easily admit when I am wrong, without trying to justify what I have or have not done or said? Give examples of when you have been wrong in words or actions, how you acted, what was said, and what you did.
3. Am I more interested in appearance than I am in honesty? Do I try to outdress, outbuy, outshop, or outdo those around me in any way. In other words, how hard do I try to “keep up with the Joneses?”
4. When someone confronts me over an idea, attitude, action or something, how do I accept their correction? Give examples of what you have said and done when someone has confronted you.
5. When someone near and dear to me has a differing opinion on what I consider a major issue, how do I react? Give examples.
6. Am I willing to admit that my relationships are in need of repair and that I am at least partly responsible for the state of disrepair they are in?
7. Do I find the need to justify my behaviors or words? When, why and how?
8. Am I perfectionistic? Do I expect those around me to be just as perfect?
9. Do I attempt to control or manipulate those around me to do what I want them to do? How?
10. How do I treat one who has hurt my feelings or made me angry? Do I give them the “cold shoulder?”
11. Do my kids or did my kids always have to be the best at everything? Did I or do I push them to accomplish more and more to the point that I have made or make them miserable?
12. How do I react to my child receiving a failing grade? Contrast this with what I expect others to do should I fail at something.
13. How do I react when my spouse is passed over for a promotion? Contrast this with how I believe others should react when I am passed over for something.
14. If I hurt someone’s feelings, how do I expect them to respond even if I do not apologize?
15. Do I apologize when I have wronged another, even if I felt justified in what I did? Compare and contrast how I expect others to respond to my apology as opposed to how I respond to other’s apologies.
16. When I do apologize, do I end with a ‘but’ statement?
17. Do I keep track of how often someone has harmed me? Do I expect them to keep track of how often I have harmed them?
18. Am I quick to point out the flaws in others, but get my feelings hurt if they try to tell me that I have faults?
19. When I am angry, do I lash out with hurtful words and statements? Do I harm those around me with my attitudes and actions? How do I react if they do the same?
20. Think of the people near and dear to you. List how you see pride in their lives. Now, look at your life and see where those same prides are in place.
Today, I chose to deal with pride, because, pride must be moved out of the way to truly begin to see our own flaws. This was and still is a very painful thing for me to look at. I do not wish to be prideful, but I see it every day at work in my life. Pride is what led to the downfall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Eve did not want God to know more than she did and Adam did not want Eve to know more than he did. I remind you, that pride is common to all mankind. Let the Lord Jesus Christ unmask the pride at work in your life.
Father, in the precious name of Jesus, show me pride and how it is working destruction in my life. Father, I long to be truly humble before you. Father, break through denial and show me the flaws within me. Try me and know my thoughts. Reveal to me the ways that are not pleasing to you. Let not satan and his demons lie to me and tell me that I have no pride within me. Show me where pride has a stronghold in my life that it may be broken. In Jesus name, I praise you for showing me, amen.
