Friday, January 09, 2015

Pray for Humility (PrayerLife)

Playing chess with Katie and Oliver Scoles

On New Year's Eve 2013 (like this New Year's eve) I challenged people in our church family to a game of chess. Katie and Oliver Scoles accepted the challenge. I thought I was doing well when suddenly, out of nowhere it seemed, one of them spotted my king, trapped in the corner of the board with no place to move. They advanced their queen from d1 to d8 and... yikes!... I was checkmated! 

 That was a brilliant move. And yet another humbling experience. I must accept it and move on in life.

I was humbled. Everyone gets humbled, multiple times in life. But being humbled is not the same thing as being humble. Everyone gets humbled; not everyone acquires humility as a heart-condition. 

 This is so important that James 4:6 tells us that God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. This is a foundational attitude in the spiritual life, without which progress in holiness will not happen. God has struggled mightily with me about this over the years.

Pray for God to remove pride.

 Pray for a humble heart.
***

 Here are some things I have written out of the struggle. 

"Humility" Defined




 Self-Exaltation is Bad; Humility is Good

Thomas Merton on Pride

St. John of the Cross on Humility and Pride

Ernie Harwell & the Power of Humility

C.S. Lewis on Pride
 
Humility (Jack Deere on...)

Realize Your Own Faults

(More On) True Greatness
 
Reputation Increases; Ability Decreases
 
God Morphs Us From Pride to Humility
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