Thursday, February 12, 2009

Pridectomy

Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

Many times in my life, whether working on the farm, running, speaking, writing, hunting or an array of other activities drawing my participation; I readily acknowledge, “Lord, I need you!” When my request originates in a humble heart, God’s presence and assistance is immediately evident. God’s presence transforms the impossible to possible; rarely the tough to easy. He desires our dependence remain on HIM. Instead of my legs collapsing, they continue in great pain.

Ashamedly there have been moments when requesting God’s assistance is self interpreted as bothersome to the Almighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. During a qualifying track race, I once quipped, “Lord, I can handle the mental part of this race. You just take care of the physical.” This 3200-meter run is one of the worst mental races in my life! I failed to qualify. I became prideful and arrogant. I thought I was doing God a favor by asking Him to only assist with the physical strength in running this race. I errantly believed I could handle the mental toughness equal to God. Would you vote for me as “Idiot of the Decade”?

Other times I readily confessed, “Lord, I cannot, You can, We (Christ and I) Are”. I went beyond previously known limits. One Saturday morning my training included a 14-mile run, with a 10-mile steady state in the middle. I was averaging 115 miles per week; my legs were fatigued as I began this workout. After two (2) miles of warming-up, I set the internal cruise control at 5:08 per mile through the gravel road hills a mile North of Kearney, Nebraska (These roads are now somewhat level and paved).

The first few miles were monotonous. The necessity for intense concentration trended upward as I entered the sixth mile. Lactic Acid, the chemical from fatigue causing the burning sensation in the muscles, levels had reached equilibrium. The burn was constant, but tolerable, my muscles were metabolizing the chemical nearly equal to the rate of production. Concentration trumps the desire for comfort. Where does one find the required mental capacity for concentration? “Lord, I need you!” I maintained the 5:08 per mile the entire ten (10) mile steady state run.

Perhaps other runners are able to do this without dependence on our Lord. If I have a talent, it is one of faith as opposed to physical ability.

In those moments when I relied on myself, I believed my mind is strong enough to replace the assistance of God. This is pride and arrogance! Pride and arrogance are the self-turned inward, another name for sin, believing our efforts and abilities are par with the Creator of the Universe. The bible states, “Without Faith, it is impossible to please Him (God)”.

Have you been convinced you can achieve your professional, personal, financial, recreational, and relationship goals on your own? Have you ever achieved a level of success saying, “Thank You Lord, I do not want to bother you any longer; I can do this on my own”.

God has loved me enough to allow me to be severely humbled when operating with pride and arrogance. Has He allowed the same for you? Have you, like me, received a “Pridectomy”? I give my friend, Chuck, full credit for originating this term.

We receive “Pridectomies” because God loves us, while hating pride and arrogance. The Holy Spirit reigns in our life, when we are cleansed of those things God hates. This draws us near to God, calling on Him with great ferventness in future endeavors. God created us to fellowship with Him.

Next time you are humbled, receiving a “Pridectomy”, thank Christ for loving you enough to cleanse you of pride and arrogance.

Make it a Great Day in Christ!
Rick

Rick Meyer Speaking

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