Day 2—“If my people…will humble themselves…”
1 Peter 5:5–6 (NIV84)
…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Take a moment and really think about this four word phrase from the verse above: “God opposes the proud!” One version says that God “sets himself against” the proud. Proverbs 6 contains a list of things that God hates, and #1 on the list is a proud look.
It’s not hard to see that your prayers (and your life) are being hindered if God has set himself against you because you’re doing something he hates! So let’s go no further in our 21 Days of Prayer without asking the Holy Spirit to reveal every speck of pride in our lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to help, because pride can be very deceptive. After all, proud people generally think they are right, so how could it be that they are deceived?
Here are few of many signs of pride:
- You’re right, and anyone who disagrees with you is wrong.
- Thinking too highly of yourself, and thinking too often of yourself.
- Esteeming yourself better than others.
- Feeling like you deserve favor.
- Talking more than you listen.
- Obsession with what others think about you; excessive concern about appearances.
- Continuing to pretend you’re ok instead of getting the help you need.
- Being critical quickly and often.
- You don’t need God every day (evidenced by lack of prayer and Bible study)
- Resisting or refusing to submit to authority (family, workplace, government, spiritual).
- Inconveniencing other people often (e.g. being late)
- Being condescending towards other people’s taste, choices, ways, etc.
- Not being thankful every day.
Three thoughts for further prayer and consideration.
- We’re apt to have pride in four areas: spirituality, knowledge, appearance, and power.
- Regardless of what stronghold is in your life, there’s a very good chance that pride is at or near the center of it, and there’s no way to freedom without humbling yourself.
- Fasting something you love (food, entertainment, comfort, etc.) helps expose and disarm pride.
Jesus, though he knew he deserved supreme status and treatment as God, humbled himself and became a servant of all, even to the point of dying. Let this same attitude be found in us. (Philippians 2)
