"God Deals with Some Pride"

I've shared before that I did not want to be a teacher, in fact, I was standing in line to walk in our graduation ceremony when a comment was said, “We all know what Misty is going to be… a teacher!” I responded with, “I’ll never be a teacher!” Well, I went on to be one, and you know what? God made me good at it! God gave me the ability to do it well! Do you know whatever you find yourself good at, that ability came from God! Not of your own doing. Jesus himself said, I can of my own self do nothing.

In Oklahoma we had at the time what was called P.A.S.S. These were our objectives that we were to teach at each grade level given to us by the state. There were many that were broken down by categories and listed in numerous outlines depending on what the main objective was. Well, I was a student! And I loved my profession and was always endeavoring to be better and better. I would study those things, and consider how to use them effectively in my classroom. Many times I wouldn’t even try to make one subject connect to another, but I often found that my lesson plans incorporated with these objectives, would flow right from one subject to the next. Honestly, you couldn’t have planned it more perfectly! But you know what, I never considered at the time it was not because I was so great, but it was just God. God that was making those plans work so perfectly fitted together.

Well, as the years went on I could rattle these objectives off pretty good. You could mention the number or letter and I knew exactly what it said, I didn’t even have to look at them anymore, I just knew them. And I honestly took pride in that, although I didn’t consider that was what I was doing.

When we moved to the Tulsa/Broken Arrow area I got a job in one of the largest school districts in the state. Those same objectives applied there too. However, when I would go to express all my knowledge about “Oh, it’s this, or Oh, that one says this”; no one seemed to listen or even hear me. After some time, I began to not seem to even be able to remember the specifics of those objectives. I found my own self having to look things up again and again. I couldn't understand any of it at all!!

It was so frustrating!

You know what was happening to me? God was dealing with my pride! I shared recently how God is after whatever is in our hearts. God will put us in situations to deal with our hearts, to expose them to us, to deal with the wickedness, to deal with those things that are not of him.

Jeremiah 19: 9 - 10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins.....
That’s where I was in my situation!

 

 

Then one day, my eyes were opened, and I saw that God put  me in that situation. I saw that I was put in those meetings to have those situations come up, so that God could show me my heart, and deal with the pride that was residing within it.  I began to see that the reason I could rattle those things off, the reason I had those “perfect” lesson plans at times, the reason I had gotten so many of my own pats on the back over the years, the reason I wanted to be acknowledged for what I knew, was pride in my heart. I saw that I was not so great, I was not so knowledgeable….it had all been, and was, all God. God that had allowed my success, and God that had given me my ability.

 

Psalm 100  tells says it is God that made us, and not we ourselves.

Proverbs 3: 11 - 13

My son, despise not the chastening ( correction ) of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

When I began to understand that God was dealing with my heart, cleaning parts up, you know what? The way I "felt" wasn't there anymore, I wasn't bothered. And I was happier.

Hebrews 12:11

Now no chastening ( correction / instruction ) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Then I was able to be a help, and not a hindrance.

God Bless!
Misty