Most of us could fit in one of these categories at one time or another. The question is, what’s the cure for such wrongheaded thinking?
If you find yourself struggling with
pride, as in the first example,
don’t try to deflate yourself! Rather, let the Holy Spirit guide you. In the stillness of your heart, he will show you where you are being judgmental or prideful. He will remind you of God’s greatness and majesty, and gently put you back in your place. But first you need to be willing to listen to him: “Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
If you are more apt to put yourself down, like the second person, you too need a reality check. Just as he convicts us of sin, the Holy Spirit can uncover a
punishing humility based on poor self-image. He will convince you that your worth comes from God’s unchanging love, not from what other people may think of you. This knowledge frees you to use the unique gifts and talents he has given you.
Surely you can do everything God calls you to do, because your strength comes from Christ!(Philippians 4:13).
Our goal should be to live in a*** balance*** between self-condemnation and overreaching pride. We should be able to recognize our need for God’s mercy, as the tax-collector did. But at the same time, we should also be able to rejoice in the freedom God has given us as his children. As we grow closer to Christ, his presence within us becomes stronger—as we die to ourselves, we come alive in him. We see that it is Christ in us, not ourselves, who is our “hope for glory” (Colossians 1:27).
