Blindsided
By Pride
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of
his heart,
2 Chronicles 32:26
Lisa loved to sing. And since she’d
begun singing for Jesus, she enjoyed it even more. Her voice was
amazing; her range unlimited. The sweet resonance in her voice
produced a rarely-heard quality. It was as though every song she sang
had been written for her. This was her passion, her ministry, and
she’d always spent time in prayer choosing just the right song for
each performance.
The accolades and compliments were
diverse and well-deserved; “What a tremendous gift!” “You have
such a wonderful voice!” “Oh! I wish I could sing like that!”
her fans would say, appreciative of her talent.
And Satan, unwilling to leave Lisa’s
service to God uncontested, began seducing her, “You don‘t need
to pray about which songs you sing. God wants what’s best for you,
doesn’t He? You should be choosing songs that showcase your voice,
songs that expose your tremendous range and matchless talent.”
And so began a period of
self-indulgence. Forgotten were the warnings of getting caught up in
selfish ambition. In time the joy began to fade. In its place came
complacency. And one night, during a performance, she forgot the
lyrics, her voice cracked, and she fled the stage in humiliation and
shame. Realizing she’d become proud, Lisa wept in regret. Moved by
this revelation she repented, asking God to forgive her prideful
heart, “I promise, Lord, if you allow me to sing again, I will do
my best to never allow Satan to blindside me with the glory meant for
You.”
†
Pride is seductive. It tells us how
wonderful we are instead of reminding us from Whom our gifts come.
Caught up in the applause, the temptation to focus on our gift
instead of the Gift-Giver becomes strong. Instead of serving for
God’s glory we become driven by the gift.
But thank You, Jesus, for not allowing
us to remain there in our pride-induced ignorance!
King Hezekiah, moved by God’s wrath,
saw his pride and repented. Should God expose us as prideful, we have
only to follow Hezekiah and Lisa’s examples.
Prayer
“I’m more easily
deceived than I want to admit, Lord. Show me when my pride is flexing
its muscles so I can willfully bring it under control. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.”
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