Pride
Scripture:
Luke 1:51-52
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
Reflection:
Today I choose to fast from the sin of pride.
When you think of pride, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s loud shouts of “my way or the highway”. Maybe it’s bombastic displays of egotism. Or perhaps it’s more subtle displays of false humility.
St. Thomas Aquinas called pride “the love of one’s own excellence” and St. Basil the Great says “to believe one does not need counsel is great pride”. In these ways, an overreliance on self-sufficiency is another form of pride.
Whatever it looks like, we’re all tempted to pride. This week we will unpack some of the wounds that may lead to pride and discover the way forward through humility and community.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
What does pride most often look like in my life?
In what ways does pride affect my relationship with others? My relationship with God?
Prayer:
Share with God the ways that you have been prideful in the past and ask for forgiveness. Pray that God would help you to understand the unique roots and expressions of pride in your life and discover a better way forward.
These devotions have been adapted from “Lenten Healing: 40 Days to Set You Free from Sin” by Ken Kniepmann.
