Pride is one of the most difficult enemies to overcome out of all the enemies that arise from the sinful self. It is sometimes called the first sin, and often it is referred to as the primal cause of Satan’s rebellion. Selfish ambition comes naturally to every soul; everyone craves recognition, attention, honor, importance, power and control; each of us loathes humiliation, disgrace, dependence, insignificance and and weakness.
However, our loving Father is relentless in his pursuit of humble trust. He never stops allowing humbling experiences to come into our lives in order to root out pride and instill quiet dependence and calm trust in our inner being. His goal for His children is to see them resting peacefully and contentedly in His arms “like a weaned child.” Jesus sees the same picture.
This battle between pride and humility, between flesh and spirit, between God and Self will never end until complete submission is attained; when that goal is reached we experience humble trust, quiet confidence and peaceful rest. And although we sometimes experience the peace of complete submission, we can never reach the final goal until we go through death and resurrection. Meantime, we “die daily.”