I just love my Pride! (NOT!)

That's a crazy title for a devotional blog post, isn't it? But after what my friend Nan shared this week, I thought how true this is. One reason we struggle so much in surrendering different wrong attitudes in our lives is simply the fact, we like them…we don't want to part with them. 

One such thing that is especially difficult for me to part with is PRIDE! Wow…if ever there was something that was nigh-on-to-impossible to uproot, it's truly my pride. 

This week I was asked to share some of my testimony for a project. The interesting thing is that what I shared has the potential of reaching many people all around the world…people that I could never ever imagine reaching on my own. (Sorry, but we will have to keep you guessing on the specific details for now as I can't share.) Anyway, it was pretty exciting, and I have to admit, in the excitement and flurry of it all, I once again was reminded of how un-humble I am. I was actually so distracted by it all that I found it hard to concentrate when I was having my devotions for a couple days. I felt like a child at Christmas, knowing that tomorrow is the big day, and thus, I can hardly sit still and do anything productive today. Ugh!  

Thankfully, even when I got all excited and in a whirl, God continued to patiently speak to me. "You know this isn't about you, Mel, right? This is about me, and if it's about me, why are you in such a distracted tizzy!?" God's been showing me again how much pride I have and how I must truly ask Him to change me. Psalms 73 actually goes so far to say that pride encompasses us as a chain. How true! All I can do is say, "Lord, please deliver me from these chains!"

Have you ever been distracted when the spotlight (or attention of any kind) shone on you, and you thought for a second that it WAS just about you? I think we've all been there. But God doesn't want to leave us…any of us…here!!

To be honest, sometimes I debate over what to write here on my "Morning Sonshine" devotional. How upfront and open should I be? It's kinda funny, because it's almost as if I want to hide the fact from anyone that may be watching that I'm a normal human and I actually have spiritual battles just like everyone else. And yet the reality is…the struggles are daily, and the only reason I would NOT want to be upfront and honest here is because of my PRIDE!!!!!!! Right?

However, while the reality of the struggles are very REAL….the exciting thing is that as long as I keep taking these struggles to God in prayer, and measuring them against His Word, the victories are daily as well. (I hope that comes through from what I share!) God is showing me more and more of myself and of my own weaknesses, but He's also showing me the solution. There is HOPE and it's REAL, and we can have victory from all these trials and character sins IF we will just submit to Him and allow Him to change us. 

To take an excellent SELF-EVALUATION, I want to share with you a powerful resource that has helped so many of us wake up and see our need. It's called "The Beauty of Humility." You can read it by clicking this LINK!

Of course, I can't say that He's taken away all my pride…but He is humbling me as He shows me more and more of myself, and I'm so thankful to know that the work that He's started, He will be faithful to complete. So…one day at a time…I will confess my sins and keep surrendering my all to Him.

"For it is God which worth in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil 2:13

Review:

• Bible Thought: God wants to deliver us from the chains of pride…and all those other unholy attitudes that we love!
• Blessing: That I saw myself as I am…even though it's difficult. 
• Battles: Need I say anything more?