For days I’ve been feeling a sense of ‘something’s not right’. Not in the world at large but in me.
Finally this morning in my quiet time I think God showed me the issue. Or at least one of the issues.
I’m not going to talk about it specifically but I’m going to tell you my knee jerk reaction was:
Are you kidding me? Am I STILL having to think about this? Be bothered about this? Is this STILL eating at me?
I think God said: No. Yes. Yes. And Yes.
So I asked Him to show me what I needed to see. Tell me what I need to hear. I prayed the prayer that I believe He always answers:
I’m willing to be made willing…
Then I braced myself for His sometimes brutal honesty.
He did not disappoint.
The words I think He spoke, although I believe were for my good, felt painfully cold and biting to the pride that had taken up residence in my heart.
Pride, I believe, never goes without putting up a fight.
Feeling a bit small, and ever so reprimanded, I thought of my one-little-word for 2011 and closed out my time with Him by asking: please remove this pride in me.
I believe…He will.
Have your eyes ever been opened to that insidious enemy: Pride?
How did you handle it, I’d sure love to know…?
It is hard to admit Robin but I am by nature an arrogant (although i called it being sure of my self) and proud man. Being broken cures that. Suddenly I am not “all that and more” that I thought i was. I believe He will complete His work. Good thoughts today. Love and hugs.
Bill, pride is sneaky. I’m not anywhere close to being sure of myself. Would seem I wouldn’t have as much of an issue w/ pride. But darn if it doesn’t take up residence in my heart when I’m not paying attention. I agree w/ you my friend, God will complete His work. love to you too.
Beautifully honest, Robin. Being broken….I’m wondering if daily “breaking” is a necessity? Probably for me.
J…daily is necessary for me at least. xo
Dear Robin,
I wrote you once in the depth of despair, reaching out to a stranger. You replied with absolute kindness and love. I think that no matter what “thing” you have to work on, you also have to remember you have many many things to be proud of. (I do understand PRIDE is different than prideful, which I think is your point.) Please know that I think; and maybe I am just a tool reminding you – that you have things to be very very proud of. Don’t be too hard on you. Someone out here loves you just the way you are.
“I’m wiling to be made willing.”
That’s as raw and honest as it gets. What a great prayer.
Celesta…woman if you pray that prayer and mean it I promise you He will answer. Um, I just realized that I haven’t prayed that in a while! hummm. xoxo
I’d just had my third child when my husband lost his job. I’d been working part-time and had no benefits so when my baby was 4 weeks old, I went back to work full-time. Someone in our hometown knew about our circumstances and brought over a big box of canned foods. I was so embarrassed thinking to myself that this shouldn’t be happening to me. I was too proud. I did my best to receive the gift but over years as I think back to the day that I opened the door to the friend with groceries, I was probably not too gracious. We were grateful for the kindness but I learned another lesson in that experience. When doing something nice for someone else, part of the lesson in prideful living is not needing to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. From the grocery experience I learned a lot about how to receive but even more importantly, I learned a lot about how to give.
JoJo…what a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing Sweet Friend~
xo
R
I hate to see you struggling. But the struggles make us stronger…..most times. Praying for your serenity. XOXO
Pinky…thank you dear one. Me and my issues. geeze louise. xoxo
Ouch, you got me. I was in a zone this morning and had to take a double take. God was hitting me with “I believe” this morning and I didn’t even put two and two together until dropping in.
Pride is my biggest challenge and also my most humbling attribute. As God said pride is an “abomination” I never point my finger at any other person or practice called an abomination in scripture. The plank of pride in my eye is HUGE.
Thank you dear sister, praying!
Isn’t it the truth Tom! Plank!!! Yep that’s what I’m working on removing…w/ Gods help of coursh.
Hugs
Isn’t it the truth Tom! Plank!!! Yep that’s what I’m working on removing…w/ Gods help of course.
Hugs
Robin,,I always love reading your blog. Today was no exception! Pride,,,the one word that has brought down Kings and Kingdoms. OUCH,,dealing with Pride is certainly precarious. I am beginning 2011 on a spiritual journey, My soul is longing for more. I am removing my pride and asking for your prayers in this quest. You are an inspiration and I love you my dear!!
Hollie…Just emailed you..don’t let me go to spam!!! 🙂
xo
Sweet Robin, remember first and foremost, you are HIS daughter and he loves you more than you can fathom. We all have pride issues, big ones and small ones. I am sure through Grace, He will see you through.
Robin, I have been following your blog for a short time now, but think this is the first time I have posted.
Sometimes I think “our pride” is the biggest hurdle to get past. It keeps us from so many relationships and from the most important one, our relationship with God. Pride seems to be able to creep in without being noticed. I am thankful that God cares for us so much that He continues to guide and nourish us through our downfalls.
I have to admit, pride would not be something I would attribute to you. I learn so much when you share what your time with God looks like. Sometimes I think “noticing” is the first step in overcoming… with His help, you will overcome.
Oh, Robin, I have had to pray this prayer more than I want to admit. It is scary to pray for the willingness to be willing. My prayer for you today is that you continue to be open to what God has for you and He will not disappoint and the blessing is always more that we could ever imagine. I am not quite done with the book “Mother’s Hope” and will totally love it, and will look forward to the next one as well. Love you blog and all that you do here. Thanks! :o)
This is something that I know we all find difficult. I have been working on it myself and found many opportunities to respond differently to a situation. Somehow, a “lightbulb” turns on each time in my mind and I think “okay, if I take away the feeling of pride, or needing to be right, etc – how would I respond?” and the feeling vanishes and then I respond in a better way. It just takes practice and it feels good, which makes you keep wanting to take a moment to reflect on the best way to handle a situation or respond to someone.
So many times my dear, I have been in your position. I have come to realize though that it is in the rooting out of every single little root of pride that I can come into the blessings of God. He has so much for you. He desires to bless you so much but it is hard to bless us when we will not let Him. How can He give and provide for us when we go out and GET IT ourselves? And He has a much better one in mind for us. So much of the time we don’t trust Him. We don’t know that when we hang on to the gum ball machine pearls that when He asked us to give them to Him…He had real pearls to give to us the whole time. Blessings to you.
Thank you for your honesty. I love seeing or reading others intimacy with my Jesus. I know we all have pride but I always think, I want to try and humble myself before God has to humble me..ya know. Cause I know he will. I think the first step in humility is recognizing the pride. Truly proud people, who are stuck there, will never admit that..so this is a good place to be. I know I have pride issues as well but my surface issue at the minute is hurt and brokenness and for some reason I am avoiding the Lord. I don’t know why? Great post and thanks for your lovely comment on my blog!