Pride

     Welcome back!   In September of 2011 I started a new Bible study at my church called CBS.  As we sat in a circle & began introducing ourselves I felt my heart racing.  On the outside I made sure to smile & act like everything was just great, but on the inside my world was falling apart.  I played the part well until the prayer sheet was passed around.  I knew our prayer sheet was confidential & that what I shared would remain within our group.  Yet, I wasn’t ready to be real, I wasn’t ready to let go of my pride.

     Pride is defined in the dictionary as:  the quality or state of being proud.  Upon introducing myself,  I shared what made me proud.  I was a stay at home mom, happily married for 21 years with 4 wonderful boys.  Then I got the prayer sheet & was convicted.  Do I write the whole truth, please pray for my family as we’ve just lost all our savings & aren’t very sure how we’re going to get through this? Or just some of the truth, please pray for Jeff’s job?  Ya, my pride won out & I chose the safe route, please pray for Jeff’s job.

     Shortly after I got an email from a friend I hadn’t spoken to in quite some time.  She happened to log on to my shutterfly account to view my pictures.  (I don’t have a Facebook)  She emailed me to tell me how blessed I was & how much she enjoyed looking at all our photos.  Our camping trips to the beach, camping at the Rose Parade, my college son’s football games, my high school son’s football games, etc etc.  She was going through some hard times & wished her life was more “together” like mine.  I was convicted that I needed to call her.  I knew God was telling me to swallow my pride & give my friend a dose of my reality.  So I did & guess what?! We have been each other’s biggest supporters since that phone call & the best thing of all?!  Her & her husband just went to church for THE FIRST TIME this past Sunday!!  One of the MANY blessings that have come from this trail.  Praise the Lord!!

     After coming clean with my friend I “just so happened” to get a phone call from my core leader from CBS.  She asked if I could be more specific with Jeff’s job situation that everyone was praying for.  I knew God was once again telling me to be real.  That next Thursday at CBS I did just that, I shared everything through tears & the love & support of those 13 other ladies was amazing.  You know what else happened?!  Throughout the rest of the year almost EVERY woman in our group became real & shared something that they normally wouldn’t have.  We had an amazing year as we not only regularly cried together, but truly bonded.  Here are some great verses on pride:

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 16:5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.  Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 18:12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

     Humility…such a hard pill to swallow!  But by denying others the truth about your trail, you are not only denying yourself the blessing of having others faithfully praying for you, but denying them the blessing of witnessing first hand God at work.  Here’s what the Bible says about humility:

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”        

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

     Your trail may make you feel down, but trust me dear friend, you are NOT out!!  God is SOVEREIGN & He WILL help you each step of the way.  Next week I want to share some AMAZING books & blogs that God led me to, to help encourage me & sustain me on days I felt down AND out.  As a result I have made new sisters in Christ who are now praying for me (& I them!)  God hasn’t left me on this path, no, He’s still there leading me as I’m continuing on to Canaan.

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