Scatter it to the Winds

“O Fountain of all Good,

Destroy in me every lofty thought,
Break pride to pieces and scatter it to the winds,
Annihilate each clinging shred of self-righteousness.
Implant in me true lowliness of spirit.
Break me, then bind me up,
Then will my heart be a prepared dwelling for my God.”

Valley of Vision (prayers of the Puritans), p 6

How quickly my mindset lodges on self.
Thinking I’m ‘not all that bad’…especially compared to another!
I am quick to bring to mind someone else’s issue, shortcoming, or sin.
Yet am so comfortable with my own ‘righteous’ way of living.
I bristle to consider my heart as prideful…or in need of change.
My heart is most often “closed for conviction business” unless the Spirit hits me with a concrete 40 lb boulder.
I know I need God’s help to see my need.

Lord,
Give me meekness of heart.
Give me 20-20 sight to see the ways I protect my own reputation, cling to what I’m most comfortable with, how I look at others with an accusing “you’ve got the problem!” view.
Grant me, instead, a clear vision of You.
Give me the mind of Christ.
Who gave up even His rightful grasp of the dignities of Deity
To become a servant.
Grow in me that kind of humility.
A selfless, others-driven love that doesn’t think less of self
but instead
doesn’t think of self at all.

Break my pride to pieces and scatter it to the wind.

“But on this one will I look: on him who is humble and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at my Word.” Isaiah 66:2