Proud Heart

Greetings My Friends;
Today, I would like to briefly touch pride. Most people including myself at one time, thought that pride was basically bragging, or boasting. That my friends is only part of it. There is a sneaky side to pride. I hate to say it, but it is true. Only recently have I begun to see the true definition of pride.
I heard a preacher just today, say that unbelief is actually a form of pride. It is basically telling God that your opinion is better. That was a shocking statement to make, but I believe it is true. Unbelief is doubting what God says, therefore it has to be our prideful attitude that keeps us from believing.
Getting back to where I was heading at the beginning. What a lot of us fail to realize, is just how prideful we are. Whenever we look at someone else, and make the comment to ourselves, I wouldn't do that, we are being prideful. We are judging someone else, by our standards of behavior. We are saying, that we know better than most people.
If we see someone struggling with some situation, it is easy for us to look at them, and criticize. We think we have all the answers, and those answers are correct. Without realizing it, we are saying that the other person is just weak, or is not very smart. It sounds terrible, and it is, but that does not take away from the fact that it is prideful.
We need to realize, that God made everyone the way they are, and He is guiding their steps. When we criticize the other person, we are in effect saying that God is wrong, and we are right. It is no wonder that the Lord looks harshly at pride. Proverbs 16:18 "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall". Proverbs 21:4 "a haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin".
What I have come to find out, is something that I have not realized that I was doing. I really have to pay attention to things I say and think. We are made righteous by God, and that is good. Any righteousness we feel on our own, is pride.
The big thing to remember, is what I have realized. Whenever you criticize or judge someone else, you are basically saying that God made a mistake, and your opinion is correct. Think about that, I did and do.
God Bless You And Remember
 Jesus Loves You
Prayer of Salvation;
Father, I come to you a sinner, and I ask forgiveness. I truly repent, and believe with all my heart that Jesus died and rose again. I also believe I have been washed in His Blood, forgiven of all my sin, and by His Stripes I am healed. With all my heart I accept Jesus  as my personal Savior.