Pride Before Stress

I have been mulling this post for a couple of weeks now. It is inspired by someone I don't know, who shared a struggle at a meeting of moms that I was guest of earlier this month.  She shared her heart regarding a need for support and a confession of the pride that had prevented her from seeking it for far too long.

The struggle itself was one I can relate to, at least in small part. But it was the emphasis on pride that affected me the most. She spoke of how pride had kept her from sharing her burden with others, how it had prevented her from reaching out to those who loved her the most and how it was the reason she had suffered through it for so long.

I can completely relate to that struggle.

It has began a root of thinking in my own mind, as I have realized myself how pride can keep us from fully accessing our "everything you need" of 2 Peter 1:3. I have realized the last few weeks how pride can stand in direct opposition to situations when God desires to bless us, and we deny him the pleasure of doing so because of our lack of humility.

We girls do this alot I have noticed. We like to be martyrs. We like to be the ones that are juggling it all, and somehow like the satisfaction of knowing we did all ourselves. I have had several situations arise the past few weeks in my own life, where I realized God was giving me what I needed in the moment and I pushed it away for the sake of pride.

Maybe a friend offers to watch the kids on a day when I am frustrated and overwhelmed ..."no, no ..I am okay." 

Or maybe my husband offers to do whatever he can to help .."no, no I got it."

Or maybe we take on more than we can handle because "should" be able to handle it or because if we don't we will look bad (or so we think).

Maybe we don't admit we need help because then people will know we are overwhelmed, frustrated and weary.

Maybe we don't let others help us because it would give them upper hand somehow.

I know it takes a considerable amount of humility to be able to accept what God has given us, when we need it. Pride can easily get in the way of what he gives us on a daily basis, both in our own spirits and through the support of those around us.

I know my pride has, many times.

And, while we are at it ..how often does pride effect our Stress List?  That warrants another post for sure ....

{hey ifellowshippers ...hope you will check out Pride Before Stress...2 before you leave :)