I confess that my pride and self-centeredness are always lurking beneath each breath, glance, and turn of life. They are the ever-present combatants skulking in the shadows just out of sight until the attack. They seek to draw me into their dungeon of pride through both criticism and praise, poverty and prosperity, and love and hate. Thank you for humbling me and giving me a hunger for walking in humility before you, although, my failings and weaknesses, at times, envelop me as though I am but a small stem in the eye of a tsunamic torrent.
Thank You for your promise, “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way” (Psalm 25:9). For because of you, this is my desire. “Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose” (Ps 25:12).
Oh my precious LORD, “forgive all of my sins” (Ps 25:18), and they are many, more sins than any one in the world it seems to me.
Help me to balance praise for how dramatically You have changed who I am and how I love while never ignoring or making light of the sinfulness I see in my heart, which immeasurably disheartens me because You are always good and deserving of infinitely more. May I prize humility in every thought and action so that honor comes to You first and then to those whom you bring to me. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom” (Prov 11:2).
Thank you that you have brought me to a place in which I can clearly see how dastardly despicable and de-humanizing pride is; this vividness affords a constant reminder that fighting the domination of pride is a noble endeavor. Yet, I know this has nothing to do with my own acumen or abilities (Rom 12:16-20).
May my pride lie in defeat today more than yesterday, having been slain by the sword of the Spirit, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love” (Eph 4:2). “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col 3:12). “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Pet 5:6).
“But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isa 66:2b).
