Pride Begets Fear (a conversation with God)

Once again, I find myself battling pride. It’s funny though, how this little enemy can hide itself. Meaning, one usually expects pride’s presentation to illustrate something completely different from what it sometimes does. Certainly, recognizing fear as a byproduct of pride is no easy task. For instance, one might think that he or she stands victim solely to fear--which predictably leads to anxiety, which then of course indicates a need to rebuke or overcome fearful thoughts and emotions--when actually, that burdensome fear originates of a nasty little feature called pride.

When we think of the word pride, our tendencies cause us to think of a person that shows arrogance toward others or a person that shows their self hypocritically esteemed above others. But what if that were not always the case? What if by fact, prideful people may sometimes appear kind, gentle, humble, and generous, even to their very core? And what if that prideful person describes you? Well, here is something to which my Lord recently opened my eyes, and maybe it holds significant to you, also.

I cried out, “God, Oh God, why do I suffer such fear of them around me! Why won’t you release me from this burden, Oh God?” This is what He answered: Glenda, darling, I love you and will not forsake you. The issue is not with me, but with you. Where is your faith, oh child of mine? Come to me with thanksgiving and I’ll shower you with my blessing. You are so bound with pride that nothing I do for you will yield a constructive difference. Release your self unto me so that I may work in you. I give you the knowledge and the know-how, but you continue to beseech me. Look at what I show you and you will see.

He continues: Answer me this, what do you fear?

My answer: I fear the world, all the people with wickedness in them. They scare me because they will hurt me.

The Lord: How do you imagine they can hurt you?

Me: I imagine they will keep me from utilizing my potential and cause me to feel unwelcomed and un-liked.

The Lord: For the things you have thus far told me, I appoint two things.

-First, recognize that you had chosen to give the enemy power over you, which you need not do. Change your perspective from fear to faith. Believe that I am whom I say I am. You say I am your Lord, but without faith, you say that in vain. Realize that the lessons I teach require practice, they do not signify a do once and live happily ever after deal. That is why it is written, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (Jos. 1:8).”

-Second, notice your regard for pride (pride?)…yes, pride. If you will let go the vision of conceit, or your desire for pride, you can loose your fear. Whom do you want to glorify, me or you? Understand that when you fear for people’s liking, you hope to attain personal admirers. When you fear for establishing your own potential, you disregard my will to help. You take the world’s opportunities into your own hands by thinking everything is a determinant of your own doing, and from your results, you hope to gain a sense of self-esteem; yet I say to you, I am He who defines your worth. Therefore, where will you catalog your thoughts of me while you go about your mission for good things to surface?

Amazed at the answers I had just received, I began to worship and praise Him, because right there He had just showed me that the driving force behind my fear and anxieties is indicative of an aspiration to feed my own ego. What an incredible concept.

Then the Lord went on to remind me of this verse: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you (Jhn. 15:18).”

And He lead me to these:

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 12:16 [Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Jhn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Psa 27:1 [[[A Psalm] of David.]] The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psa 28:7 The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Isa 12:2 Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation.

So you see, God had called me out, and for that, I am once again grateful! Thank you Lord.