Pride Goeth Before A Fall

The other day I submitted an article to a writing contest.


The article was on the subject, 'What Makes A Christian Different Than Anyone Else?'


I really don't think I will win. For one thing, I really struggled while writing it, the words didn't flow as smoothly as when I write here or personally.


Afterwards I wondered why, and then I realized it was because for that article, I wasn't writing for God, I wasn't writing to glorify Him, I was focused on the $1,000.00 prize.


Today I looked at my article on the site I submitted it to, http://www.faithvine.com/, and even though I know that it is very doubtful I will win, not because of my writing per se, considering that even though it's not my best, it's not really bad writing either, but one mistake I made was not giving it a title that stood out, it's the same or nearly so than most of the submissions.


Why is this a problem? Because it's based on reader's votes, and if my title doesn't stand out, then the chances of it being read are very random.


As I browsed through the articles, I atomically clicked on the titles that caught my interest.


And if I do that then surely others will too.


It's ok though. Although winning would be nice, it was a learning experience.


For a long time, I was writing things that weren't exactly wholesome, I was writing for me, and I surely wasn't being blessed because of it.


And then something happened to me, inside. It bothered me, my soul groaned, and after a time I found that I wasn't able to write much at all.


I started praying about it, and after a time I decided that if my writings didn't reflect God, if my writings weren't honoring God and edifying to others, then I shouldn't be writing.

The following verses kept reverberating through me, and I realized that I wasn't thinking about the pure, lovely, noble things of God, but I was thinking and writing for my own purposes, and as a result, I didn't have peace about it.

Philippians 4
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Verse 9 really is a potent command and promise, if we put the good things of God into practice then He will be with us.

And what does the word 'practice' mean? It means striving to get something right, to do it over and over until it's flawless or nearly so.

When I wrote that article, I was selfishly motivated, not God motivated, as is so often the case. I focused on not only the money, but on getting noticed, looking for accolades, for commendation, distinction and honor, for myself.

I let pride get in the way. Pride in my own abilities, and we all know that pride is a stumbling block.

God doesn't want us to be prideful, if we boast, we should boast of the things God does through us, not on our own abilities or actions, because without God those things mean nothing.

1 Corinthians
30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Jeremiah 9
23 This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.

This new year seems to be starting off as a year of lessons. As I reflect more on God and less on myself, I am learning something daily.