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Sunday, January 25, 2015

LOVE > FEAR

Our pastor spoke on the subject of pride today and Brad also spoke to the topic in youth group tonight.  Earlier this week, I had shared a story about a fear of mine with a friend and they gave me some advice about pride.  I thought, "That's weird....they must not have understood me.... I was describing a fear....not pride....I mean, duh...."  I have been trying to dismiss that as a misunderstanding, but it was spinning in my mind enough to make me delve into the relationship between pride and fear and I learned there is quite a correlation, if not a direct connection.  The problem is probably that pride blinded me from seeing it as the source of any fears that prevent me from being who God wants me to be or to live in the freedom He has for me.

It is an interesting and, hopefully, insightful thought to consider...fear is like a side-effect of pride because of several reasons.  Say, for example, we fear death....why would we do that in the scope of our knowledge of eternity and of our GOD who has already created a way for us to be with Him forever?  Is it because we have too much pride in our physical life and that pride sometimes blinds us to eternity?.....hmmm....maybe so.  Maybe I fear losing my reputation for the sake of taking a stand for Christ?  Maybe I fear the future or the future for my kids and the choices they are making or will make.  Could it be that I am taking too much pride in them or in my efforts to raise them and have not surrendered the future or their futures to a GOD who's capacity to love and care for them FAR EXCEEDS MY OWN (and that is an understatement).  Pride makes us fear the loss of things and of control.  Pride builds something in our minds and hearts besides GOD and then, fear is consumed with losing the object that pride built....actually it is more than just losing it....fear is the act of giving power over to that thing/person/idea that pride built.  Crazy right?  But, think about it....at least that connection is so true for me. The only fear that is HOLY fear is the fear of the LORD.  Why is that OKAY?  Because we have exalted HIM to HIS rightful place in our minds and hearts instead of anything that pride builds in us and we are in complete reverence of HIM...we submit to what we freely give our power over to....in this case we submit to Christ.

Even beyond this strong connection is an important Truth.  Our pride leads us to fear....and then, evil smells our fear and attacks to devour us. Really, our fears energize and spread evil by providing a host for the parasite.  Is the root of all evil, pride? That was basically the question I started to ask myself this week when I realized that connection.  It helps to understand what pride is and, at the core of it, is an absence of love for GOD and OTHERS that creates a vacuum which we in turn fill with our own selfish desires.

On the flip side....THIS IS THE REALLY GOOD PART OF THE EQUATION :)


GOD = LOVE....see how that's a wonderful equation?  I'm not so great with numbers, but I get that!

Here's how I understand this part....a humble heart is one that LOVES GOD and OTHERS enough to put them before oneself....and because of GOD'S GREAT LOVE (that I can't seem to explain no matter how many times I try :), this is always the stronger part of the equation.....so strong that it CASTS OUT FEAR and covers, not one....but a MULTITUDE OF SINS.  
I'm so glad for the greater than sign, aren't you?

I really like this quote by Saint Augustine: "Do you wish to rise?  Begin by descending.  You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds?  Lay first the foundation of humility."

Humility is the foundation for God to build on in us.  It gives our lives stability by giving pride NO CHANCE to build.  It has even been called "the guardian of all virtues."

A Prayer for Humility
O God, who resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble:  grant us the virtue of true humility, where of Your Only-begotten son showed in Himself a pattern for Your faithful; that we may never by our pride provoke Your anger, but rather by our meekness receive the riches of Your grace. 

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