The plank that kills my spirit is pride. Pride blinds me Spiritually. If unchecked and unconfessed, it will kill my relationship with God.
Oswald Chambers on Pride
“It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage? We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying.”
“If we do something simply out of a sense of duty, we are trying to live up to a standard that competes with Jesus Christ. We become a prideful, arrogant person, thinking we know what to do in every situation. We have put our sense of duty on the throne of our life, instead of enthroning the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to “walk in the light” of our conscience or in the light of a sense of duty, but to “walk in the light as He is in the light . . . ” (1 John 1: 7). When we do something out of a sense of duty, it is easy to explain the reasons for our actions to others. But when we do something out of obedience to the Lord, there can be no other explanation—just obedience. That is why a saint can be so easily ridiculed and misunderstood.”
What will Jesus find?
“Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly and the city was stirred to its very foundations, but a strange god was there—the pride of the Pharisees. It was a god that seemed religious and upright, but Jesus compared it to “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23: 27). What is it that blinds you to the peace of God “in this your day ”? Do you have a strange god—not a disgusting monster but perhaps an unholy nature that controls your life?”
Conscious Influence Prideful and Unchristian
“Conscious influence is prideful and unchristian. If I wonder if I am being of any use to God, I instantly lose the beauty and the freshness of the touch of the Lord. “He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7: 38). And if I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.”
“For you to say, “Oh, I’m no saint,” is acceptable by human standards of pride, but it is unconscious blasphemy against God. You defy God to make you a saint, as if to say, “I am too weak and hopeless and outside the reach of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.” Why aren’t you a saint? It is either that you do not want to be a saint, or that you do not believe that God can make you into one.”
“If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.”
How much anger I feel toward others almost always indicates the plank that kills my spirit.
Only by pride cometh contention: Proverbs 13:10a
Judgmental self-righteous attitudes always indicate the plank that kills my spirit.
Luke 6:42 NIV 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
In the below parable broken into two sections, which section best describes my attitude in prayer?
Luke 18:9-12 KJV – 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:13-17 KJV 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Further Thoughts on the plank that kills my Spirit: Pride and Self Righteousness can be found on these posts:
Pride Prescription to Help Treat and Cure the Plank that Kills my Spirit
- Regular prayer and three minute prayers hourly
- Regular study of scripture. A tool I provide for my friends, daily postings of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, usually scheduled for 5:00 am and 5:00 pm est.
- Regular confession. Use the General Confession on the MP and EP postings. I have found it the most powerful when I don’t think I have anything to confess. When I ask God, he reminds me of what I need to confess.
- Ask God to “To your glory and honor, make me a sinner as holy as you will.” Oswald Chambers
- Abandon and completely surrender myself to God. “I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.”
