Have you ever thought about the fact that pride often leads us to sin? Pride often looks like us simply rejecting something we see in God’s word. Maybe we’re not totally rebellious, but we just think it’s ok to tell a lie when it doesn’t hurt someone. Or maybe we think there are some of God’s rules that are ok to follow but as long as you don’t hurt anyone, you can skip the ones you don’t agree with or don’t like.
But the root of that thinking is pride. It’s thinking that it’s ok to not do something that God says. That it’s ok to make your own choices and your own destiny. And God does give us the freedom to choose, but really that line of thinking is prideful.
“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” – Genesis 3:5 (NLT)
It’s a lot like how Adam and Eve got into sin in the garden in the first place. God had told them one thing, don’t eat the fruit. And yet, they got into pride. They listened to the devil and chose their own path. I mean, what does it hurt to eat one little fruit? That isn’t murder or anything, right?
And yet, it went against what God had told them to do. And then they got excited about the idea of being like God. And knowing good from evil. This prideful way of thinking led them to sin.
The same is true for us. We might think it’s a little thing, it doesn’t hurt anyone, and so we place ourselves in the place of God and determine what’s right and wrong. The problem is, we don’t have the right to do that. We’re not God.
So we have to determine to not get into pride, into thinking that we can only obey when we want, where we want. God wants our hearts. He wants the best for us. He doesn’t want us to be led astray by pride and sinful behavior. He wants to bless us, develop a deep and loving relationship with us, and be everything we need.
So today, if you’ve given into pride, into thinking that you can call the shots in your life, determine to live today differently. Choose to follow after God and pursue a relationship with Him and see how rich a rewarding life in God can truly be.
