Wednesday, April 6, 2016

April 7, 2016

"In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God." Psalm 10:4

Questions have a way of bringing clarity don't they?

See what I mean?

I want to pose three questions over the next three days for the purpose of laying bare any pride issues in your heart. It is easy to recognize pride in others but really tough to spot it in yourself. These probing questions will help if you will honor them with an honest response.

First, how does pride manifest itself in you?

Tough question, isn't it?

If you are struggling to answer it I'm sure you could ask your spouse or one of your children to help you!

Or, you could humbly ask the Holy Spirit to convict you in the areas where pride resides. He is good at doing that.

Are you willing to receive advice without feeling resentful?

Are you able to listen to constructive criticism without getting defensive?

Can you laugh at yourself when you make a mistake?

Are you able to celebrate the success of others?

Do you feel better when another struggles or fails?

How quickly can you apologize when you are wrong?

How quickly are you willing to accept the apology of another?

I am blessed to be married to a very intelligent and capable manager/problem solver. When I bounce my thoughts or ideas off of her she often identifies the flaws in them and offers better ideas. I should be thankful for that but that is not always my initial reaction. Often I find myself initially feeling defensive or resentful toward her and he suggestions.

When that happens that is pride manifesting itself in me. 

The proper response is to listen and process her thoughts because I know she is wanting to be helpful. I must humbly learn from her and become a better leader and thinker.

So, I ask you again, how does pride manifest itself in your life?

What will you do about it?