In a previous post I’ve pointed out the destructive nature of pride in our lives. In this post I want to focus on the third of five ways we can practice humility and kill the pride in our lives.
3. Enjoy my successes gratefully.
We need to be reminded to enjoy our successes gratefully because we will be tempted to enjoy our successes boastfully (pridefully). I build this business with my own two hands! Yeah – but where did you get your hands? I thought up this idea all on my own! Yeah – but where did you get your mind? All the time you have, all the energy you have, all the talent you have – it all comes from God. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, “…What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”
People love to boast don’t they? People love to share with others how awesome they are! And if anyone tries to share a success, our pride will always tempt us to one up them. But everyone will spend their lives in one of two ways – telling others how great they are or telling others how great God is. If you think you’re responsible for your successes, you will boast about them. You will tell everyone how great you are. But when you know the truth, that God is ultimately responsible, you will give thanks for your successes and tell everyone how great God is.