Pride

Pride is a scary thing.  Because it occurs in us naturally, we must be constantly on the lookout for pride in our hearts.  Pride has the ability to hide in us in subtle thinking patterns and if we don't ask God to show it to us we may not even realize that it's even there.  If we don't deal with it, it will cheat us out of so much of the good that God wants for us.  

The following poem on pride is from the book Praying God's Word by Beth Moore.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny…because
you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment…because you
“deserve better than this.”

I cheat you of knowledge…because you already
know it all.

I cheat you of healing…because you’re
too full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness…because you refuse to
admit when you’re wrong.

I cheat you of vision…because you’d rather look
in the mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of a genuine friendship…because
nobody’s going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love…because real romance
demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven…because you
refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.

I cheat you of God’s glory…because I convince
you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

You like me because you think I’m always looking

 out for you. Untrue.

 I’m looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry…
If you stick with me
You’ll never know. 

"Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another,

for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"

-1 Peter 5:5