Prideful Self-Reliance

“In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”” (Psalm 10:4–6, NIV)

(St. Augustine is famous for writing a book called “The Confessions,” which was written as a prayer to God. In the same spirit, I plan to write these posts as a prayer to God. You can find more of these posts here.)

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Heavenly Father, it’s tragic to watch people go through life without a through toward you. They are constantly thinking about something all day long, but there is no room for You in their thoughts. How can that be? How can someone have 6,200 thoughts in a day and have ZERO about you? It seems impossible. 

Yet, Father, you have given us the answer. Pride is the reason. Prideful people have no room for you in their thoughts. Why? Because all their thoughts are focused on themselves. They have no need for anyone or anything else. So, they fill their minds with themselves, leaving no room for you. 

Father, I have to admit that pride clings to my own heart. Even though I know I need You and that I have nothing apart from you, I still rely on myself. I still live my life pridefully—arrogantly relying on myself, leaving little to no room for you in my mind. Please forgive me. Help me stop looking at myself, stop relying on myself, and fill my mind with You. 

His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.

Father, we are easily tempted to live prideful, arrogant lives. Many of the successful people in this country are arrogant and prideful. Many exalt themselves saying, “Look at this great thing I built!” Then, they tell me I can build something great…if only I live like them—pridefully rejecting your laws and looking down on those around me. 

Yet, Father, don’t let me fall into this trap. Don’t let me forget the path You laid out for greatness: “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43–44, ESV). This is the path to greatness. This is true prosperity. Help me walk in this and reject the world’s definition of greatness and prosperity. 

He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

Father, the prideful of this world walk around with a strut. They confidently tell everyone they’re unshakeable—beyond reach of danger. How foolish! They are blind to true power and strength. They can’t see true power and strength because they’re so focused on looking at themselves. They can’t see You. Compared to You, Father, they are less than a blade of grass shaking at the slightest breeze. They are NOTHING, yet the foolishly live as though they are EVERYTHING. It’s no wonder that you remind us “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18, ESV). No one can live a lie and succeed. 

Please, Father, don’t let me fall into this trap of foolish self-reliance that leads to destruction. Rather, help me humble myself under Your mighty hand so that at the proper time You may exalt me (1 Peter 5:6, ESV). Help me do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than myself (Philippians 2:3, ESV). Help me live like Jesus Christ, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6–8, ESV).