Ask RC- How do we best fight against arrogance?

On the one hand I’m the perfect person to ask this question. Because I struggle deeply against this sin. On the other hand I’m the worst person to ask this question because I so often lose the struggle. Not because it’s hard to be humble when you’re as wonderful as me, but because it’s hard to do right when you are as sinful as me. Nevertheless, I will share some of my strategies. Perhaps they might work better for you, or perhaps you will see some holes in my strategy, and be able to help me out.

First, cultivate an ever growing consciousness of both the bigness of God’s being and His grace. One of the greatest moments in the cavalcade of great moments that is The Chronicles of Narnia is when Lucy, after some time away from Narnia and Aslan comments at their reunion that Aslan has grown. Aslan gently corrects her. He hasn’t grown at all, but she has. That is, her capacity to take in his glory increased. Which is a great way to help us keep in mind how very small we are. If it helps for no other reason, remembering God’s sovereignty should remind us that even if we had something of which to boast, we only have it because He gave it to us. He, and not I, is the source of every good gift.

In cultivating a bigger, and therefore more accurate grasp of the scope of His grace I am both more grateful and more confident. I’m more grateful for the forgiveness I have been given, and more confident that it covers all that is wrong in me. I don’t need to be afraid to acknowledge my weaknesses and failures when I know they are utterly powerless to remove me from His love and from His family.

Second, cultivate an ever growing consciousness of the smallness of me and the bigness of my need for His grace. We are not called to lives of misery and sorrow because of our sins. We are not to carry forward with us that which has been nailed to the cross. We are, however, called to lives of repentance, of genuine sorrow for our sin, and for the effects our sin has on others. We are called to mourn. We enter into that mourning, while escaping a life of misery and sorrow because of His promise, that those who mourn will be comforted. There will never be a time where I need grace and will not find it. There will never come a time, not seventy times seven, but seventy times seven to the seventy times seventh power, when He will not forgive. JESUS PAID IT ALL.

Third, remember that everyone else is just like you. That we see ourselves as better than others is a sure sign that we are not, that we do not judge rightly, that there is still a log in our eye. The same grace I need is the grace they need. Not less, not more, but in the same measure. My filthy rags are no less filthy than theirs.

Finally, let us pray for one another. Let us ask the Captain of the Lord’s Hosts to ride forth and slay this persistent and deadly dragon.