May I be frank with you? Will you bear with me as I ramble on for a bit? The most wonderful thing is happening to me... God is yanking me off my high horse. I didn't even know I had a high horse.

I grew up in a church. My father was a minister, my two uncles were ministers; even my grandfather was a minister. I was very comfortable with the church. The church taught me all I needed to know about how to look like a Christian: Go to church, go to youth group, read my Bible, pray occasionally, hang with Christian friends, don't drink, don't smoke, don't swear, etc., etc. Also, how to recognize those who weren't Christians: anyone who didn't fit the above description.

What I have developed over all these years is a general attitude of pride in my Christianity. When I pray, I pray that God would show me how I can help others with what He has taught me. When I study the Bible, I am always thinking of someone who could really benefit from what I'm reading. When I interact with the people around me, all I can see is how they are weaker in ways that I am strong. And when I talk to others, I very often find myself criticizing those who aren't there to defend themselves.

I was in a group recently that was presented with the question, "What is one sin you are struggling with lately?" Can you believe that I was stumped by that question? I honestly could not think of anything. I'm sure it is obvious to you, the reader, that I have a major issue with pride. But pride is one of the most dangerous, destructive, and deceptive sins that we as humans struggle with. Pride comes packaged with top-of-the-line blinders to keep us from seeing our sin. I had no idea that pride had such a huge place in my life. Struggling with sin is human. God gives grace for that. He wants me to struggle, to work it out, because He will win in the end. But I must be aware of the sin before I can struggle with it.

Through a recent chain of events, God has revealed to me the pride in my life and its destructive effects. He is showing me how ugly pride is, and how it has secretly poisoned my relationship with Him and my relationships with others. But God also showed me that pride does not need to have power over my life.

He reminded me that the same power He used to raise Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power He will now use to free me from the stronghold of pride. All he wants is for me to remain close to Him and to stay humble and teachable.

Wouldn't it be enough if God just let me keep on sinning, forgiving all of it over and over? But no, He molds me and teaches me so that I will not continue to let those sins have power over my life. He is constantly bringing me into a greater life of freedom with Him.

Now I'm sure out of force of habit I will keep trying to climb back on that stupid horse. But I just have to ask God to keep revealing it to me, humbling me, and giving me the guidance to move on.

Thankfully I serve a patient God who will never withdraw His love from me, no matter what.

In Christ,
Mindy Richmond