Pride

Scripture

Humble yourself under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, he will lift you up in honor. -I Peter 5:6

Pride can be a dangerous sin for believers to walk in. Several scriptures explain God's hatred of pride. Why is pride so dangerous? Because it operates overtly and covertly. There are behaviors we observe in others that are easily identified as pride. However, some behaviors and dispositions are disguised, but at the root of them all is pride.  

Pride is disguised in false humility. False humility means devaluing oneself in a self-serving manner. For instance, when God reveals what His plans are for a person's life, and they repeatedly put themselves down to gain sympathy from others.   There's a difference in not feeling qualified to do something God has asked of us and then putting our whole trust in Him to do it, and never doing a thing, stating that we're not worthy. Who does this behavior help? Certainly not the people we are called to serve through our obedience to God. It also tells God that we walk in unbelief and that we are not yielded.  Pride is the root of this behavior. 

Pride is also hidden in fear. When God began calling me to go deeper into ministry, fear came upon me. He began to reveal to me how he wanted His Heart Ministries to expand, and I felt that I couldn't do it. He said to me, "Every day that you walk in fear, you're not reaching people." You would think this got through to me. It did not. I continued to walk in fear. In prayer, He then began to bring unfamiliar faces to me in the spirit. He said, "Daughter, these are the people waiting on you." Fear persisted in my heart. Finally, He cast the mirror of the Word of God in front of me. I finally understood His position, but I also saw myself. He revealed that I was being very prideful. I made it all about me when He wanted to use me to reach people. Pride was disguised as fear. 

Finally, pride disguises itself as comparison, which can be another form of false humility. Psalm 139:147 says, "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well." If we are a marvelous work of the Father, then what does it profit us to compare ourselves to others?  We are admonished to set our minds on things above. (Colossians 3:2). Comparison leads to arrogance and self-reliance. Because we don't feel good about ourselves, we puff ourselves up and consequently do whatever is necessary to make ourselves 'better' than or equal to others. This is prideful, Beloved.  

Prayer

Father, help us recognize the pride that disguises itself in our attitudes and dispositions. We repent and turn away from it. In Jesus' name. Amen