2025-11-21
Good morning, Dear Ones,
Last week, I began writing about more hinderances to mercy and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit had me mention personal sin and unforgiveness. Another is pride, which has several definitions. One is to take pleasure in one’s own achievements or those of another (including God’s). This is a positive connotation, and this kind of pride is natural and doesn’t go beyond the limit of humility. However, pride has other connotations which go overboard, except for pride in God’s accomplishments or His attributes. IS 57: 15, “For this is what the high and exalted One says-He Who lives forever, Whose name is holy, ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
There is danger in pride. PR 21: 4, “Haughty eyes and a proud heart-the unplowed field of the wicked-produce sin.” When pride interferes with humility, then sin happens and God can’t be pleased. Paul writes in RO 12: 3, “For by the grace given me I say to everyone one of you: ‘Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” We need to use sober judgment about ourselves, seeing clearly without false humility or prideful exaggeration. When judging others harshly, pause and remember that we all need God’s grace. We should see others through eyes of compassion rather than criticism.
Overcoming excessive pride about our own accomplishments or possessions is reflected in PHIL 2: 3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”
Pride can also be consciousness of one’s own dignity and confidence in one’s self-respect. Like most other forms of pride, there are degrees in which this consciousness and confidence can be taken. Having humility sets the limits. 1 PET 5: 6, “Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. JAS 4: 10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
A fourth hinderance to mercy and forgiveness is worldly desires. I’ve been told that all the other commandments broken by sin begin with coveting. It might be coveting anything from sex with famous people to coveting material wealth and everything in between. God provides negative consequences for such coveting, as in the case of those celebrities who were involved with Jeffrey Epstein or Bernie Madolf’s sinful Ponzi scheme. There are, of course, more private cases of greed and corruption too. 1 JN 2: 15-16, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life-is not from the Father but is from the world.” Remember: GA 5: 17, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Sprit what is contrary to the flesh.” MT 6: 19-21, “Do no lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
PRAYER: O Lord, human hearts can be so cruel or so tender. And yet, You offer such wisdom and pardon showing us the way we should live. MICAH 7: 18-19, “Who is a God like You, Who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do no stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” In Your wisdom, You tell us in EPH 4: 32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving toward one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” We realize that nothing escapes You, either our motives, our decisions, or our actions. And yet, if You can find it in Your heart to forgive the one who is humbled and contrite, that we can do the same toward those who do wrong against us. You deserve all the praise and thanks for being the God You are, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: O how generous the Holy Spirit is being! I’m grateful to say that next week, He is giving me two more hinderances to discuss that are hopefully making us aware of what we can do to be more compassionate and merciful. Learning to forgive is what allows relationships to flower, edify, and sustain long-term success. None of us is perfect, and we must learn to seek out the Lord through the Holy Spirit for His wisdom and the paradigm that Christ modeled. JAS 2: 13, “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” If we can leave the judgments up to God, they will be applied not only with mercy but with justice. HO 12: 6, “But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice and wait for Your God always.” AMOS 5: 24, “But let justices roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Blessed by our Lord—Thanksgiving to Him!
Grace Be with You Always,
Lynn JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 1025. All Rights Reserved.
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