WHEN PRIDE IS PRESENT PEACE IS ABSENT

Pride is another peace robber. Peace is a gift from God that promotes confidence in Him. Pride is a distorted emotion that encourages reliance on self. Pride is a feeling that you are more important or better than other people, an inordinate self-esteem. Thinking you are better than others can lead to coveting bigger and better possessions, educations, careers, families, spouses and lives. This attitude causes worry, stress, and harm (which is the opposite of peace) because you may be purchasing things you can’t afford, pressuring your children to be more than they are capable, aggravating your spouse to no return and propelling yourself to a point of self-destruction because you must always be and have the best of the best. There is nothing wrong with wanting great things in your life, but when you are constantly comparing your life with others and /or belittling others to exalt yourself, or your worth is always measured by what others dictate it should be, there may be a problem of pride. When pride emerges, devastation is near. When pride is present, peace is not. With pride, you will always have something to worry about and that takes away your peace.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18King James Version (KJV)

True peace will not reside in the hearts of the proud. Pride is all about self. Thinking what you accomplished you did it alone. You credit yourself and your abilities for your achievements. It’s all about you, your job, your money, your house, your husband, your children, your solutions, your wisdom, or your way of thinking.  You and yours. There is no room for God with the proud. And definitely, no place for peace.

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. Psalm 10:4King James Version (KJV)

Pivot pride into peace.

  1. Don’t applaud yourself for your accomplishments. Eulogize God. He gave you the skills to accomplish all things.
  2. Be thankful for what you have. Lean and rely on God to direct you in pursuing and obtaining greater things, at the right time.
  3. Be patient. We want things now. Sometimes, planning and waiting may need to occur.
  4. Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. (Today it’s termed keeping up with the Kardashians). You don’t know what people have done to get what they have. They may make it seem simple. Generally it is not. Behind closed doors you may find these people are not as happy as they portray to the world. Stay in your lane. Stay in your budget, mindset and capabilities.
  5. Stop allowing the world, society, government and the news to tell you what, when and how you should do things. Permit God to dictate your moves.
  6. Stop waiting and expecting others to praise you. Wake up every morning and praise God.
  7. Stopping thinking everything is about you and your feelings. It is not always about what you accomplished, what you are getting or where you have been. Complimenting and encouraging others, takes the focus off you. Let it be about someone else. Learn to keep quiet and allow other to talk.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13 (KJV)

On the other end of the spectrum of pride is humility, the state of being humble. Reflecting, expressing or offering a spirit of submission. Submission? Today who wants to submit to anything or anyone? Children refuses to submit to parents. Spouses forgo submission to one another. People decline to submit to the employers, rules, laws or procedures. However, overspending, overeating or excessive drinking, people easily humble themselves to those negative items. Due to this deference of submission, that may be one the chief reasons why people do not seek God in all matters. Everyone wants to do things their ways. And when it goes wrong, then people blame God. We must humble ourselves to God’s Word, wisdom, will and ways. Remember, God loves a humble heart.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10King James Version (KJV)

Today, all populations, governments, societies and all of us need God in this world we live.

 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

 

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