“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek [after God]: God [is] not in all his thoughts.” (Ps 10:4 AV)
We know that David is speaking of those wicked ones who would seek his life. Those who hate God and God’s king. His assessment of his nemesis is right on. Saul would not seek after God unless it was in his personal best interest. Saul sought God only when it was too late to do so. If anyone had a pride problem, it was Saul! It is pride that makes man independent from God. It is pride that will not admit to the reality that God is the creator and we are His creation. Our very existence is from God and by God. Only the foolish would turn their back on God. But pride is not limited to the wicked. Old habits die hard. The pride that kept us from salvation for a very long time can be the same pride that keeps us from regular prayer. It is a good thing to be helpless and vulnerable. I am sure David learned many things while fleeing from Saul. One thing is certain. A study of the psalms will show us that David learned to pray!
I think men have a hard time admitting their limitations. We have a hard time asking for help. I have a son who would rather die than ask for help. I is independent to a fault. In some ways, this was a benefit. It caused him to overcome adversity, unlike his peers. His grades came with a lot of work. I am amazed at his tenacity. He is a fierce soldier who marches on and will not take a step backward. Onward and upward. He has much to overcome in his life and he is a testimony to me of someone who will not let a dark day keep him from advancing. It takes a lot to knock him down. Yet, he has a hard time admitting he has limits and needs help. The LORD has to allow much in his life for that to happen. My son is a soldier’s soldier. If anyone whines about life, I can just send him or her to my son and their problems will soon be put into perspective. For my son to endure takes a strength most of us will never know. However, there is a danger with that kind of resolve. Sometimes we are pushed to a limit beyond our ability to endure. We can come to the end of ourselves. We get this way because we are too proud to go to God. We can go one more step. We can leap one more wall. We can take one more arrow. Only when we are completely empty, do we cry ‘Uncle’ and seek the help of the One who could have helped all along.
David’s observation was regarded Saul. It was regarding all those who hate God. But those of us who love God can do the same thing. Our pride can get in the way and we neglect prayer as the relief that we need. We think we can handle it. We think that it will be ok. I am not suggesting we go to prayer and whine about life. I think God gets a bit tired of that. Complaints are part of life. We need to process how we feel. But it is like a patient who is in such pain that he or she is no longer complaining. Rather, they are resigned to the pain and are just seeking simple relief. If you have every helped with a patient, you know exactly what I mean. Pride keeps us from going to God in prayer. Pride keeps us independent of the fellowship and help we need in God. Pride says it can exist alone. Pride thinks there is nothing it cannot handle or accomplish. If our prayer life suffers, it is probably because we are not in prayer nearly as much as we should be.
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