This thing called pride is deeply complex and ever shifting, much like a chameleon, and it is an ancient spirit that has the subtle yet dangerous ability to bring a person down without their conscious approval.  

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18 

Day after day, I found myself praying, “Lord, please expose and deal with any form of pride within me, if there is any.” Yet I had no understanding of the magnitude of what I was placing before the Lord’s table. I did not realise that it was as though my inner nakedness had been unveiled and I had been ushered into a divine place of surgery, with God Himself taking on the role of the Master Surgeon. 

The truth is, every single one of us carries a measure of pride within, often concealed, beautifully disguised, or carefully camouflaged behind our habits, our preferences, and even our insecurities. If it is not addressed with intention and humility, it has the quiet capacity to destroy from within. 

So God, in His wisdom and gentleness, began to reveal to me, piece by piece, the hidden layers of pride in my life. He showed me how it appeared in my reluctance to help others grow. How it manifested in my attachment to certain standards of presentation. How it revealed itself in my unwillingness to engage in what I considered small or insignificant tasks because I felt I had outgrown them. He exposed how far I had gone in withdrawing from meaningful connections due to fear, and even in unintentionally overlooking others. 

Pride, I have come to understand, behaves much like a silent disease. It spreads gradually and persistently, extending its reach into every corner of one’s life until it settles as though it has gained a permanent place. Once it enters the humble abode of the heart, it begins to dismantle the inner structure and subtly positions itself as authority. When its roots are firmly established, small cracks begin to appear, until eventually the entire structure is weakened and at risk of collapse. 

Yet God, in His unfailing love, does not expose these things to shame us, but to restore us. He gently highlights the fractures and brings them into the light so that we may confront and uproot pride in all its varied expressions. There is something profoundly beautiful about the way God deals with us. His patience is extraordinary, yet His power is undeniable. We must never underestimate the strength of the Ancient of Days when He chooses to refine His own. 

He has a way of interrupting our pace, drawing us away from distractions, and bringing us face to face with what truly matters. When He corrects, it is purposeful. When He instructs, it is precise. And when He assigns a lesson, He remains present until the work within us is fully accomplished. 

At this very moment, I find myself seated in that refining place, wrestling through the divine process of understanding and overcoming this thing called pride. Yet one truth remains unwavering within me: I am already victorious. I am already an A student in this journey, even before the solution is fully revealed. God will never allow me to walk this path alone. Never. His presence is constant, His guidance sure, and His grace sufficient. And so, with full assurance, I choose to trust Him completely. I am determined to honour Him and to see this spirit of pride brought low because i am a work in  progress ,God’s precious master piece.

” In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” Romans 8:37

IN GOD I PLACE ALL MY TRUST, EVEN WHEN IT FEELS AS THOUGH I AM STANDING UPON BURNING COALS. 

by MPDK