WHEN PRIDE IS PRESENT PEACE IS ABSENT
Pride is another peace robber. Peace is a gift from God that promotes confidence in Him. Pride can be a feeling of happiness when you or someone does something good. Unhealthy pride is a distorted emotion that encourages reliance on self, thinking you are more important or better than other people. This concept can lead to a constant coveting of bigger and better possessions, educations, careers, families, spouses and lives, at any cost. This attitude causes worry, stress and harm (which is the opposite of peace). You may be purchasing things you can’t afford; pressuring your children to be more than they are capable, or willing; and propelling yourself beyond a point of self-destruction because you must always be and have the best of the best. There is nothing wrong with wanting great things in your life, but when you are constantly comparing your life with others; belittling others to exalt yourself; or you allow your worth to be measured by what others dictate it should be, there may be a problem of pride. When pride emerges, devastation is near. With pride, you will always have something to worry about and that takes away your peace.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18King James Version (KJV)
True peace will not reside in the hearts of the proud. Pride is all about self. Thinking what you accomplished you did it alone. You credit yourself and your abilities for your achievements. It’s all about you, your job, your money, your house, your husband, your children, your solutions, your wisdom, or your way of thinking. You and yours. There is no room for God with the proud. And definitely, no place for peace.
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalm 10:4King James Version (KJV)
Pivot pride into peace.
- Don’t applaud yourself for your accomplishments. Eulogize God. He gave you the skills to accomplish all things.
- Be thankful for what you have. Lean and rely on God to direct you in pursuing and obtaining greater things, at the right time.
- Be patient. We want things now. Sometimes, planning and waiting may need to occur.
- Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. (Today, it’s termed keeping up with the Kardashians). You don’t know what people have done to get what they have. They may make it seem simple. Behind closed doors you may find these people are not as happy as they portray to the world. Stay in your lane. Stay in your budget, mindset and capabilities.
- Stop allowing the world, society, government and the news to tell you what, when and how you should do things. Permit God to dictate your moves.
- Stop waiting and expecting others to praise you. Wake up every morning and praise God.
- Stopping thinking everything is about you and your feelings. Complimenting and encouraging others, takes the focus off you. Let it be about someone else. Learn to keep quiet and allow others to speak.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13 (KJV)
On the other end of the spectrum of pride is humility, the state of being humble. Reflecting, expressing or offering a spirit of submission. Submission? Today who wants to submit to anything or anyone? Children refuses to submit to parents. Spouses forgo submission to one another. People decline to submit to the employers, rules, laws or procedures. However, overspending, overeating or excessive drinking, people easily submit themselves to those negative items. Due to this deference of submission, that may be one the chief reasons why people do not seek God, in all matters. Everyone wants to do things their ways. And when things go wrong, then people blame God. We must humble ourselves to God’s Word, wisdom, will and ways. Remember, God loves a humble heart.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10King James Version (KJV)