Watch Out For Holes, by Rachel Smith

I got out of my van the other day and was striding along in the sunshine feeling pretty happy about life. I have recently accepted a new job, have a new haircut and a new dress so I was humming and walking straight and tall in the late afternoon sunshine.

Then I hit a hole. My ankle twisted and I fell.
My pride was hurt and so was my foot. At that exact moment doubt crept in. I started to question my decisions and started to think of all of the "I can'ts".
Every whisper of small concern suddenly had a loud voice. I had fallen and in that moment of weakness I was overtaken by fear and doubt.

I can't help but relate to Peter. I ask Jesus to save me in my hour of need when I have large trials (family illness and loss of loved ones) but here I am getting out of the warm comfy boat and doubt settles in. Christ wants our faith both in and out of the boat.

Matthew 14:30-32 (New International Version)
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Another Cure for Pride, by Lon Alderman

Psalm 139:1-3
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

Honesty is another cure for pride! Our pride stems from selective self-knowledge that amplifies our positives. We puff ourselves up with "our successes" and down-play our failures. We pat ourselves on the back as we compare ourselves to others and soft-pedal our relative shortcomings.

However, when we look at ourselves as God sees us, we find little upon which to be prideful. Instead, we see the sin lurking in the shadows of our lives. Through God's eyes we see clearly the errors of our motivations, actions, and thoughts.

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

A Cure for Pride, by Lon Alderman

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Gratitude is a cure for pride. When we choose an attitude of gratitude we take the focus off of ourselves. And in doing so, we place our focus on God where it belongs. Giving thanks to our Lord is the right response to all He's done for us and through us.

1Thessalonians 5:18
...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ.

Humility, by Lon Alderman

1Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

The key to living humbly is to recognize that God is the true source of everything good in our life. When we realize that we can account for nothing, then there is no cause for pride. God created all and provides all, so I have no grounds for taking credit.

Humility begins with a deep, honest reality check.

Troubled Heart

John 14:1
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

During the last few days my heart has been troubled. I'll try to explain how I believe this happened.

God richly blessed me in the days preceding my troubled heart. It doesn't take much for my focus on the Lord to turn to focus on myself. As my good friend Grant states it, "The easy way for the Devil to trip me up is to let me be successful!"

I got a little taste of success last week and I let it distract me. The trouble in my heart developed when I tried to follow up on "my success" under my own strength. I placed my trust in myself and began to fail at everything I attempted.

Jesus says that the antidote to a troubled heart is to trust Him. After all, it is the Lord that gifted me with the success in the first place!

Trust Jesus!
Lon