PERNICIOUS PRIDE
(This entry was inspired by a recent posting on the "Thoughts of Man" blogsite)
Let's not be perplexed or concerned regarding the Lord's plan and purpose for our lives. That's just pride trying to erode our trust in Him.
Recently, I read a booklet that contained an interview with a ninety-five-year-old Greek Orthodox monk named Elder Dionysis (see poem entitled "Blessed"). Elder Dionysis left Romania and entered a monastery atop a Greek mountain at age thirteen. He remained there the rest of his life doing manual labor, studying God's Word, fasting and praying. World wars and other dramatic changes in so-called civilization occured without him. Some would think that his life was wasted (think Bill Gates' recent comment that he had more important things to do than to be involved in religion). The story is that spiritual pilgrims, once they learned of his wisdom, trekked many miles through a forbidding landscape just to speak with the Elder. Some would even try to scale the locked monastery gates to be with him for a few moments.
The Elder Dionysis' message was simple. He merely reiterated what God's Word had taught him--that total reliance upon the Holy Spirit through faith is the only way to please God, and that sins of the flesh are to be avoided at all costs, especially the sin of pride and all its manifestations, i.e. ego, selfish ambition, intellectual arrogance, anxiety, worry, vanity, righteous indignation, rebellion, possessiveness, conceit, a "personal mission" mentality, anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, self-love, vainglory, dissolutness, greed, etc. He taught that every increase in pride will result in a proportional increase in distance from God.
This insidious sin that caused Satan to be ejected from heaven unfortunately permeates our present society and culture on many levels, and even distresses our Christian communities. "Owing to this worldly spirit--which forms from childhood around the heart through poor education, pornographic movies, advertising, desires, sins, etc.--the Christian can no longer pray, nor can he do a good, salvific deed. But even those who have fallen into great sins can correct themselves, with the help of Divine Grace. This struggle and deliverance from sins and from the demons will be counted unto them as martyrdom." Elder Dionysis. 1.
Only humble-mindedness before God and our fellowman, established in a heart purified by the Grace of the Holy Spirit through the Christian disciplines of prayer, fasting, communion, etc., protects us from this demonic spirit of pride. As Christians, we cannot allow our intellects to second-guess, despute, or try to impede the Will of God, and must resist the seductions of the flesh daily. God acknowledges our struggles to live holy lives that honor Him and will reward our sufferings in heaven.
When you are equipped and ready for service, and trust the Lord completely through the Holy Spirit to direct your path and bring opportunities for ministry into your life, He will do so regardless of your profession, environment, or hardships, including prison.
In times past, it might have required a lifetime of physical privations and self-sacrifice to learn these important truths. Today, they are just a mouse-click away.
J. Wallace
1. The Orthodox Word, "Humble-mindedness: The Doorway to Pure Prayer," Vol. 41, No. 1(240), Jan.-Feb., 2005. p.9.
Let's not be perplexed or concerned regarding the Lord's plan and purpose for our lives. That's just pride trying to erode our trust in Him.
Recently, I read a booklet that contained an interview with a ninety-five-year-old Greek Orthodox monk named Elder Dionysis (see poem entitled "Blessed"). Elder Dionysis left Romania and entered a monastery atop a Greek mountain at age thirteen. He remained there the rest of his life doing manual labor, studying God's Word, fasting and praying. World wars and other dramatic changes in so-called civilization occured without him. Some would think that his life was wasted (think Bill Gates' recent comment that he had more important things to do than to be involved in religion). The story is that spiritual pilgrims, once they learned of his wisdom, trekked many miles through a forbidding landscape just to speak with the Elder. Some would even try to scale the locked monastery gates to be with him for a few moments.
The Elder Dionysis' message was simple. He merely reiterated what God's Word had taught him--that total reliance upon the Holy Spirit through faith is the only way to please God, and that sins of the flesh are to be avoided at all costs, especially the sin of pride and all its manifestations, i.e. ego, selfish ambition, intellectual arrogance, anxiety, worry, vanity, righteous indignation, rebellion, possessiveness, conceit, a "personal mission" mentality, anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, self-love, vainglory, dissolutness, greed, etc. He taught that every increase in pride will result in a proportional increase in distance from God.
This insidious sin that caused Satan to be ejected from heaven unfortunately permeates our present society and culture on many levels, and even distresses our Christian communities. "Owing to this worldly spirit--which forms from childhood around the heart through poor education, pornographic movies, advertising, desires, sins, etc.--the Christian can no longer pray, nor can he do a good, salvific deed. But even those who have fallen into great sins can correct themselves, with the help of Divine Grace. This struggle and deliverance from sins and from the demons will be counted unto them as martyrdom." Elder Dionysis. 1.
Only humble-mindedness before God and our fellowman, established in a heart purified by the Grace of the Holy Spirit through the Christian disciplines of prayer, fasting, communion, etc., protects us from this demonic spirit of pride. As Christians, we cannot allow our intellects to second-guess, despute, or try to impede the Will of God, and must resist the seductions of the flesh daily. God acknowledges our struggles to live holy lives that honor Him and will reward our sufferings in heaven.
When you are equipped and ready for service, and trust the Lord completely through the Holy Spirit to direct your path and bring opportunities for ministry into your life, He will do so regardless of your profession, environment, or hardships, including prison.
In times past, it might have required a lifetime of physical privations and self-sacrifice to learn these important truths. Today, they are just a mouse-click away.
J. Wallace
1. The Orthodox Word, "Humble-mindedness: The Doorway to Pure Prayer," Vol. 41, No. 1(240), Jan.-Feb., 2005. p.9.
posted by Purgatory Penman | 5:23 PM
3 Comments:
Very thoughtful post. Thank you.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
Brother, I think you are DEAD on! Great post. I honestly believe that pride is the foundation for more sins than any other thing. Just as you said in your post. I believe God detests it more than ANYTHING else!
In Him,
DU
Pride! Gets them every time
Last line, and my favorite line from the movie Devil's Advocate with Al Pacino playing Satan.
Pride is my biggest problem and most always the root of my rebellion against God and His will.
God gave us freedom to choose our path, and pride is the biggest impediment to choosing the right one.
Thanks for this post Jeffrey.
Tony
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