Replacing arrogance

This week I was reading John Eldredge’s amazing book Walking with God and in that he shared how he and his each member of his team ask God for something they should give up and replace it with something He wanted them to have. John heard “Self” to be replaced with “My Love”, while he was in the meeting with the others but didn’t have time to understand what God had for him so he went back to it later and in order to hear further he jouranaled, “God what do you mean?” and God shared with him that He meant, “Self Reliance”, go, go, go get things done and to replace that with really “trusting the Father will get’er done out of His love for John”. That is a very drastically abbreviated version of the story that everyone should read it starts on page 197 of Walking with God, but that was where I started this journey.

I thought man I need to ask God what I should give up and what He would want to replace that with and so I went to prayer asking God what He had for me and I heard, “Arrogance”…AHHHHHHHH!!!
No it couldn’t be? Yes, the more I listened the more I understood and could see how in my heart in many, many situations of conflict I simply thought I was better or more spiritual or closer to God than the person I was in conflict with, In a word Arrogance. I then reflected on the Thomas a Kempis book The Imitation of Christ and how Thomas had urged that if we could overcome just one fault a year after many years we would be more of the Bride Jesus deserves.

Now I was excited, God this is like a treasure hunt, I know I’ve got this fault and I have no idea what you are going to replace this with but I am so excited about the journey back to You on this. Craig McConnell with Ransom Heart Ministries shared on The Advanced Poser Talk that repentance, true, real repentance is a complete Joy, like the prodigal son hurrying to meet his father, anxious to be back. So I started writing all this in my Journal asking Jesus, “Where do we go with this, How do I overcome my arrogance?”

Then I remembered George MacDonald’s favorite Passage, (from Unspoken Sermons One) where Jesus was explaining to the disciples about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
Matthew 18:1-5 Who Is the Greatest?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”

Some how Jesus I need to get back my ‘Child Like’ humility. “Ah Ha!” I thought my ‘humility card’ has been stolen like my earlier journey with my ‘innocence card’. Jesus how did it happen so once again we went back to my child hood. Who Lorded themselves over me, when did I make the agreement with Satan that I was better. Oh the feeling came back strong and fast. ‘My sister’, the pain came rushing back she would take up this arrogance that she was so much smarter than me, more spiritual, deeper. Jesus, I need your help here this still hurts. “What is going on here?”

I began to reason through this; who did this to her, who aided Satan in pulling her ‘humility card’. No problem there, it was my father. My father is a wonderful man but when he goes into this arrogance thing it is absolutely brutal. So who aided Satan in pulling my father’s ‘humility card’? Again I remembered how my father felt bullied by his older brother. Oh Lord, “our battle is not against flesh and blood” but Satan has been pulling our humility card for generations.

So now having found the wound and the bitter root agreement, Jesus what do I replace my arrogance with?. “Robby what does your sister have in the way of intelligence or spirituality or what do you have that I did not give you. What does your father have or his older brother? All good gifts came from the Father. If I gave you one kind of great gift I gave the person you are in conflict with something just as great so there is no need for anyone to Lord themselves over another because all have been given something amazing. Robby, do you want your ‘humility card’ back, I gave my life so you could have it?”

My replacement for arrogance, Jesus gave me back my ‘humility card’. God please help me to protect and cherish it you paid so very much for it.