Breaking Prideful Independence

This verse rushed like a wave of calm over my soul when I read it recently. I hope by the end of this short blog it will for you too!

I’m not sure about you, but sometimes when I look at my life and see all that God has given me, it can be tempting to think I did some of it. The problem with this perspective of prideful independence is that then I think I have to maintain it too. Friends, there is no way we can maintain something ourselves that only God did in us! We need the Holy Spirit’s power to continue caring for and doing the things He has given us to care for and do!

Since the end of December, I had been having a terrible time sleeping. I would wake up between 1-3 am most mornings and not be able to get back to sleep. My mind would begin racing with all the things I needed to do, wanted to do and felt responsible to do. In those moments it seemed like the Lord would whisper this “Since you cannot calm your mind, get up and talk to me. Let’s figure this out together.”

So in the dark moments before dawn, I dragged myself out of bed because I know John 6:68 is true: “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” ​

What the Lord teaches us in private moments alone with Him has eternal impact on our souls if we let Him work on us. It is an incredible thing to open up our hearts before Him. When we allow Him in, He can shape our hearts to be more like His. That is why I love this verse so much. What a relief to be assured that the Lord knows we are not able to do what needs to be done by ourselves.

And yet even though we fail again and again, He is not impatient with or unkind to us.

He is a gentle and loving potter.

He helps explain what is happening to us and He gives us His Scripture to help us. “For the word of God is alive and active,” Hebrews 4:12 says ​ “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

So this week let’s remember that if we are tempted to look at any part of our success and forget God’s hand in it, I pray 2 Corinthians 4:7 comes to mind. If you’d like to share what the Lord is teaching you right now, please feel free to comment below! We’d love to learn with you!

If you’re joining in our community’s Scripture memory verse this week, happy memorizing!