Prideful

    For some reason the issue of pride and humility keep entering my mind these days.  It is a struggle that I have been fighting for some time now.  It feels like it is one of those "one step forward, two steps back" kind of process.  It is truly one of the more irritating things I have ever had to deal with.  However, I know that I am making progress.  Not much, but some progress is better than none.  The reason I want to talk about this today is because in the past week or so, I have truly seen a lack of humility as a scourge of society.  

    Satan in his trickery offers us all the kingdom's of the world, just as he did Christ in the Gospel.  However, our human frailty allows Satan to warp us into something we are not.  I was talking to a friend recently, and they said that they could not stand their image to be anything different than what it is now.  Satan has successfully won that person over.  Satan now has the ability to twist and mold that person into a worldly person.  Someone who is solely concerned about themselves and affairs of the earth.  We must combat this brothers and sisters.  This person is not out of the fight yet.  Most people in this situation hate themselves, and this person is no different!  They want to change, but Satan has convinced them that their image of themselves is far more important than how God views them!  How can this person feel anything but despair!?  The Satan in his wise ways has completely separated this person from God.  The person is their own God in their own mind.  Hope is not lost though.  We have a God who loves us so deeply that he sacrificed his only son in order that Satan may lose the grasp of our souls.

    Friends, we must fight Satan through our humility.  Through striving for perfection, and being humble in heart we can crush the evil one.  We can help this person too.  It is not impossible to overcome this incredibly ensnaring sin of pride.  Pray friends, pray hard for this person, and for yourselves that may not become victims of this deception.  I was victim of this same ploy a few years ago.  I did things that I seriously regret even unto today.  I am proof that through Christ alone we may win the fight.  We cannot rely on ourselves.  When we do this, pride takes over.  Satan conquers our souls.  It is only when we submit ourselves to Christ that we are delivered.  This is the problem.  This is the solution.  The solution we seek is not in ourselves.  No matter how hard we look we will not find it.  We must overcome our pride and selfishness.  We must humbly approach Christ and let him know that WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THIS ALONE.  Through this act, we can be delivered.  We can be healed and started anew.  We can crush Satan in his own game.  Fight the good fight brothers and sisters.  Pray for each other.  Help each other, but above all, love each other with the love of Christ.