By Grace, Through Faith

Why is it that we hold on to our pride so tightly?  Why do we spend a lifetime trying to avoid humiliation and weakness?  If we are called to live our lives as Christ and in Christ, humility is paramount.  Pride is such a double-edged sword.  On one hand it can make us work hard to perform well and strive for excellence in certain arenas.  On the other hand, it can be completely debilitating.  It leads to self-destruction when we can't admit we my need help.  So how do we balance the need to do things well, yet not let it overtake us and ruin us?  The key is to recognize our own imperfection and the need for Christ to redeem it.  Once we believe in our hearts that Christ is the only way to fix the brokenness of life, we will see that all of our excellence comes from him too.  We owe everything to Him who created us, redeemed us, and transforms us. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9