Spiritual Pride
Do you know that sometimes spiritual pride can be camouflaged as discernment and gossip as concern? I'm not just talking about others, but I've experienced it firsthand. Years ago, when I first began seeking God with all my heart and spending hours in His presence, He began purging me of some of the ugliness I had accumulated over the years (I say some because I'm still a work in progress). As the Holy Spirit would stir things up in my soul, they would be brought to the surface for me to experience and acknowledge...then... crucify. As I began spending all this time in His presence you would think what would flow out of me would be wisdom, mercy, and love. Instead, it was my insecurities that were revealed in the form of pride and a judgmental attitude.
I expected everyone to spend the amount of time in prayer and studying the Word as I did, and anything less was unacceptable. When God miraculously healed me of things that I prayed and battled for I would get frustrated at Christians that didn't fight the fight of faith as I did and unwittingly felt they were less spiritual than I was. Then there's the all damaging, "I need you to pray with me about so and so...I've heard he's..." That's not concern for our brother or sister but pure gossip and slander!
Unfortunately, it's not just baby Christians that fall into this trap, but many mature Christians do as well. These attitudes are very damaging to people and even destructive to churches. The more time I spent with Jesus the more I began to realize my faults as He revealed them, and they were appalling to me. My mind had to be washed in His Word daily and my insecurities eradicated by His glory and grace. It didn't happen overnight, but it was a growth process. God is so merciful to contend with us as He does right amid our ignorance. We need to be a people who can be trusted with delicate information not one that shed a negative light on others or looks down on those we should be encouraging and lifting up.
Why do I continually encourage people to spend daily, intimate time with God and study their Bibles? Because that's how we grow, we are transformed in His presence and washed by His Word! I for one, am an absolute mess without HIM! Don't just enter deep enough to feel superior to others... go deeper...deep enough to realize you are undone and you are nothing without Him! It's where pride is replaced with humility and judgment is traded for mercy and love.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Ephesians 5:26-27 (NKJV) That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 2 Corinthians 12:20 (NLT) For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. James 1:26 (NKJV) If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
