Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 21, 2019
He [Nebuchadnezzar] said, “Is not this great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”…And those who walk in pride He is able to humble. Daniel 4:30, 37b
Pride is deceived; it walks in deception, believing things that are untrue. It thinks it is in control and is responsible for its own accomplishments. Pride has an inflated belief in itself and a condescending attitude toward others. It is all wrapped up in its own agenda. A prideful man may even mouth the right words, but his behavior betrays him. Pride is a product of unaccountable living. Without checks and balances, pride develops a track record of deception that leads to defeat. Pride’s greatest deception is to set itself up against God. You can go through the motions of religious activity without brokenness and obedience; that is the epitome of pride.
The audacity to use God is the ultimate deception. God will not be used. He will not be mocked, nor will He allow pride to roam free. Pride tries to convince you that you are God’s gift to the world, but that was Jesus, who God sent to us for the forgiveness of our sins. The reminder of that gift is meant to flush out pride and replace it with humility. Pride and humility cannot coexist. Humility understands and does not forget that God is the author of all good things. His Holy Spirit cuts through pride’s deception, and replaces it with humility’s reality. The reality is, without the blessings of God, people are paupers lost in pride.
Humility and brokenness break the bonds of pride. You know pride is losing its grip when you release control of your life. Humility lets go. You let go of recognition; You let go of hurt feelings; You let go of the past; You let go of judging; You let go of bad habits; You let go of your family, your work, your relationships, your need to be right and to always have your own way. You let it go and you leave it with God. This is what it means to trust God. Humility and trust go hand in hand, as much as pride and control. It is uncanny how humility and trust lead to more responsibility and power, while pride and control lose it. This is the great deception of pride: Pride thinks it is in control, but it is not.
The humble man recognizes God’s control and is trusted with more. When you humble yourself in your relationships, you will be given more peace and fulfillment. Stiffen up in pride, and you will lose trust and joy. Therefore, give up your way of doing things and submit to God’s way. Do not force your agenda; rather, accept the Almighty’s. If you continue to demand control, you are deceived. Pride will cause you to lose what you desire most and receive what you will most regret. Humility exposes you to God’s eternal benefits. He will bless you far beyond what you expect or deserve. The benefit of humility far outweighs pride’s illusions.
Humble yourself before God does it for you. The Bible says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, humble my heart to avoid pride’s deception, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
In what area of my life might pride be deceiving me?
Related Reading
Leviticus 26:19; 2 Chronicles 32:26; Proverbs 16:18; 1 John 2:16
Today’s reading is from Boyd’s most popular daily devotional book: Seeking Daily The Heart of God
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