Psalm 123 Spiritual Pride

Image via WikipediaServants look to their master for direction (hand). And so must we with the Christ within. Those who choose to serve God are given relief from the contempt of the worldly life. This requires a single-minded focus on the spiritual. When we begin to know the nature of God, we can have faith we will be protected in our time of trial. The mercy of God is grace—aid from God in the process of our regeneration. If we allow, Spirit can guide us so that we cooperate to the best of our abilities with God’s Law, and limit our suffering. But we cannot do this half-heartedly; it is an all or nothing proposition.

We must overcome our ‘holier than thou’ attitudes before we can complete the ascent. It is very easy when making significant strides to lapse into feeling superior to others who may not be as far along in understanding. But these thoughts are self-destructive. They are always the result of the reawakened ego. Scripture says that we cannot serve two masters. As long as we view ourselves as separate from others, we cannot abide in Christ.

Once we recognize that this pride is what is holding us back, we can begin to release those thoughts. The interesting thing about the spiritual journey is that just when we begin to feel as though we are getting there (the scorn of those who are at ease), we will find that there is another, greater challenge to face. If we approach our walk with God as a series of lessons rather than a destination, we are less likely to fall into the trap of believing we have arrived (the contempt of the proud). This comes when we understand that it is not through our own efforts but through the Christ within us that we are redeemed.

And so it is! Amen!