The Conviction of Arrogance and Pride

Adam and Eve
thought they knew better
stepped over holy boundaries
sought another’s glory
arrogance and pride.
Pharaoh resisted
Moses kept pleading
refused Israel’s release
plagues reigning down
arrogance and pride.
Achan was greedy
envying enemy spoils
could not resist possessing
what God prohibited
arrogance and pride.
David looked at the forbidden
mishandled his power
stole another man’s wife
adultery and murder
arrogance and pride.
Nebuchadnezzar wanted glory
the Deity’s place
demanded power and worship
resisted God’s warning
arrogance and pride.
Israel’s leaders
ignored the plight of their brothers
laid on ivory couches
drank wine from big bowls
arrogance and pride.
Herod slaughtered infant boys
tried to kill the Newborn King
selfish for his power and throne
arrogance and pride.
The Pharisees perverted
their fathers’ religion
bound people with burdens
plotted against the Messiah
arrogance and pride.
Peter drew an angry sword
defending the Messiah
a strike against the Father’s plan
arrogance and pride.
Powers raged against the infant church
sought to crush the gospel’s spread
in a fight they could not win
arrogance and pride.
Conceived in sin
we want our way
resisting the One who gives us breath
arrogance and pride.
This story has a glorious end
we wouldn’t be left in this sorry state
God would crush what held us fast
arrogance and pride.
Jesus died a cruel death
gave himself as a sacrifice
this grace alone would set us free
from arrogance and pride.

I am so thankful for the
pain
of your rescuing grace.
I am so thankful that
you will not let me
go.
I am so thankful that you
pursue me
press in on me
expose me
confront me
convict me.
I have come to be
aware
that when I am in the
pain
of the Spirit’s convicting
power, 
I am not being
judged
condemned
rejected
separated from you.
When your hand is heavy
on me,
when I am suffering under the
weight
of your convicting
power,
you are not
disgusted or repulsed
by me.
No, in these hard
moments,
you are wrapping your
arms of love around
me,
pulling me close and drawing me
near.
When you are angry with my
sin,
your anger is not the anger of
condemnation,
it is the redeeming anger of
grace.
Jesus endured all of my
rejection and punishment
so that it would never fall on
me.
I will not run from the pain of
conviction,
I will not turn from this
mercy,
I will not argue for my
righteousness,
I will not accuse you of being
unloving,
I will not harden my heart.
I will remember that 
this pain
is the pain of
grace.
In these moments,
I am not being rejected
but because of the generosity of your
mercy
I am being
loved.

God bless,

Paul David Tripp

Reflection Questions

1. Over the next week, read a story each day referenced in the first poem. What lessons can you apply to your own life? How does each serve as a warning for your own arrogance and pride? In what ways are you more like these Biblical characters than unlike them?

2. In what way did you display arrogance and pride this past week? What did you say or how did you act that communicated that you were better, or knew better, or deserved better, than someone else in your life?

3. In what way did you recently demonstrate, even in the most subtle of ways, that you believed you were smarter than God? Where in your heart and life is there a streak of autonomy and independence from the Lord?

4. When was the last time you felt convicted of your arrogance and pride, or another sin in general? How did the Spirit prick your conscience? Did God use someone in your life to expose your wrongdoing?

5. What was your initial reaction to that conviction or confrontation? Did you feel the need to defend yourself? Did you blame someone or something other than your own heart? Did you expose another person’s sin instead to distract the attention away from you?

6. How is the conviction and confrontation of our sin a sign of love by God? Why can we have freedom and comfort to accept it? In moments when you want to harden your heart, how can you preach the gospel to yourself and embrace the pain of grace? Be specific in regards to what you need to say to yourself.