"Lord, I'd rather do it my way."

There is the right way, the wrong way; and then there is - my way! I took the 'my way' route yesterday when one of our laser printers went on the blink and I decided that I could fix it 'in just a few minutes.' Two hours later, and after much frustration, I had accomplished nothing except taking it all apart and putting it back together; a total exercise in futility. No, I didn't have a instruction manual, nor did I really know what I was doing. I just thought I could do it. No real damage was done by my little exercise in over-confidence in that instance, but the same cannot be said for many of our excursions into the land of pride. It is painful to admit that I often decide that I know the best way despite advice from those more experienced, that I have the right to choose my own way regardless of what it might cost others, or that I can ignore God's way and not pay the consequences. What makes a person do these things? Pride!

The preacher, Jonah, was told by the Lord, "Go and tell Nineveh that my judgment is coming!" Pridefully, Jonah took off in the other direction, literally! Instead of going northeast, overland; he went southwest, by ship. In the last chapter of the book, after he finally obeyed God and saw a revival come on the pagan city, he reveals his prideful mindset that caused him to rebel against the Lord. "God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn’t do. Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, "God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!" (Jonah 3:10-4:2, The Message)

Jonah wanted the Assyrians destroyed! His desire was contrary to God's purposes so he pridefully decided that he could ignore the Lord and go his own way. Some say he did what he did from fear, but the text focuses on Jonah's willfulness and selfishness. When the Lord sent a storm on the ship he was traveling on as he fled from God's will, Jonah didn't help to save it. He found a corner in the hold and tried to sleep through the storm. When God did not judge the pagan city, Jonah sulked! When a worm ate the plant that gave him shade, Jonah was so provoked at his discomfort that he asked to die!

Humility always focuses on obedience; pride looks for outcomes.
Humility says, "yes, Lord," without regard for personal preference; pride asks, "why do I have to do this, Lord?"
Humility seeks the best for all; pride works to assure the best for me!

There's a spiritual principle that accompanies the expression of pride. The more a person seeks his own way, the less joy he finds! The lie that draws us to follow the way of pride is this: "If I achieve a life that feeds my needs, I'll be happy!" But, it never works out that way. We can go all the way back to Genesis 3, to the prideful decision of Adam and Eve to do what they wanted instead of what God commanded to see the results of rejected the right way in favor of 'our way.'

Paul says that pride leads to spiritual shipwreck! He urged Pastor Timothy to "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked." (1 Timothy 1:19, NLT)

Pride is subtle sin. It dresses itself up in 'righteous' concern that causes us to become critics of others, in 'self-preservation' that causes us to discard the plain teaching of the Word, in 'bringing revival to this church' that causes us to sow disunity .... and hundreds of other disguises. Strip away all the excuses, the reasons, the rationalizations - and pride is simply this: "I'd rather do it my way!" Don't give into the lie. Choose God's way, for it is always the best way. Obedience today will bring blessings tomorrow. Pray for faith to believe that, then let pride die.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today. "Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, The Message)