1 Peter 5b-7 (KJV): …Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
“He was a proud man.” “I’m proud of you.” “My pride wouldn’t let me ___.” Pride, the word, has morphed to mean both the positive and negative. The positive being an appropriate sense of one’s self-worth. Yet when looking at the Scriptures, pride in its truest sense – is never presented as a virtue worth having.
Don’t get me wrong. God’s Word does promote a healthy view of one’s self. I like to call it Christ-esteem. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Which in the case of the Good Samaritan it happen to be an enemy in need. God creating us and Jesus Christ dying for us places a huge value on your life and mine. It is this fact – Christ leaving glory and dying a criminal’s death for you and me – that should make us humble.
Pride or being proud has destroyed friendships, ended marriages, led to neighborhood skirmishes and all out war. However the most deadly thing that pride can do, is to prevent Jehovah-Jireh from providing deliverance and healing. And block us from receiving His forgiveness, forgiving others, and forgiving ourselves.
Humility, on the other hand, says that God’s ways are better than mine. I will have faith in Him instead of my will, talent, or money. Humility brought God to earth and bought eternal life for us. The humility of God has given hope and salvation to us. The humility of God transforms sinners who surrender into saints that are secure in His love.
So often we get upset with God for reprimanding/disciplining us. Some of us may be so bold as to shake our fist at God or tell Him that He promised us something when it was our own desire and not His. Thank God, that He is so patient with us.
Yet the big difference between our Heavenly Father and this earthly father is that He not only wants what’s best but He actually knows what is best for us. And better still, He has the power, the resources, the foresight, and the cooperation of angels and His people to pull it off. If we are open to Him, He might whisper counsel and encouragement through His Word, nature, other people, a radio program, a song, an inspirational movie or book, a devotional blog 
, or even children. He is not limited – just trust in His love, care, and wisdom even if you don’t understand it.
