Recently I got a text from a friend who was looking for help in being humble or conquering pride.  The conversation was so much fun and the insight had to be from God because it was really good!  You will quickly glean that my friend is awesome and her heart so good.  Here, with permission, is the conversation:

Her: Hey Adel!  Do you have any book recommendations on humility/conquering pride?

Me: The Bible!  Kidding, kinda.  Let me think on it.  Francis Chan* is pretty awesome at that.

Her:  Haha, of course!  Thanks, I can feel the battle with pride in my new job and really want to fight well.

Me: So is it pride in your job or about the job?

Her: In my job, like fighting my ego a lot…The curse of a creative person sometimes.

Me:  Haha!  Probably the best antidote is crazy and constant thankfulness.  You can be thankful for the job, for your abilities that He put in you. Talk to him about all your awesome abilities.  He gave them to you and He’s happy about them too!

Me still: But talking to Him about them will also keep your perspective on where/who they came from.  He is able to give you those awesome abilities because He is even more awesome!  I think He likes to hear that we appreciate what He has given.  Brag on yourself to Him. He’ll probably show you some things you’re not even aware of yet, that He has put in you.    King David said, “Man, I’m a hunk!”  Well, something like that.  More like, “I praise you because I’m fearfully and wonderfully made.”(Psalm 139:14)

Her: I love that.  Thankfulness has been a theme the past few days, so it totally makes sense as an antidote!  I can definitely see how it would simultaneously honor God and remind me of what my place would be without Him.

Me:  💪

Me again:  I just love you.  Your heart is so His and He is crazy about that in you.

Her: saying nice things…

Her: Do you think thankfulness is an antidote when I find myself not wanting to listen/respect/receive because of pride?  When I’m not dying to myself enough?

Me: It’s always good.  Lots of reading about Jesus is a good way to stay/get humble.  He too grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with people.  Well this morning I read James.  In reading it I realized that in some sneaky areas of my life I have not submitted myself to God.  It will be a forever process of dying to self.  The fact that you know it is good.  It always hurts our flesh/pride to put our will and pride beneath compromise and cooperation.  But the benefits of the latter are so good.  They are some building blocks of community.  Sometimes learning humility through hard knocks happens too.  I find it better to learn from the mistakes of others when possible.   Pride goes before a fall rings in my head.  I wish it had at some other times in my life. 😬

Her: You’re so right, its a continuing, ongoing process.  I know the tools are in me to die, its a matter of using them or not.  Choosing to die or trying to sink my feet in and be stubborn and get knocked down anyway haha!   Thank you, that was really encouraging!

Me:  Haha!  Just saying what you already know friend.

Wasn’t that fun?  We all struggle at times, but thankfulness is a wonderful weapon in our arsenal!  When the enemy tries to take a good thing that the Lord has given you and use it against you in pride, turn it into thankfulness instead.  When you begin to praise, you enter into God’s presence and not only get His perspective, but stop the enemy in his tracks.  Our maker thinks we’re pretty awesome and knows that He is even “awesomer!”

The weapons of our warfare are not of this world! (2 Corinthians 10:4)

*https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1362751.Francis_Chan