In a moment of unfiltered, uncensored and frankly, unnecessary fury, I allowed hurtful words to shoot from my mouth like daggers headed straight for my target. Once they shot out, I knew it wasn’t going to be good – but still, I said them anyways. Like a poison tipped arrow, I watched as they made their way towards my husband and pierced his heart. 

The moment they spewed out, it was as if I was watching my own horror film — you know, that part in the movie when you know the girl shouldn’t go down into the dark creepy basement because there’s no doubt something BAD is going happen and you yell at her through the T.V. screen with all of your might but guess what — she-can’t-hear-you!

Well I was “that girl”standing at the door to my own dark abyss.

I could hear my soul screaming “turn around!” “Don’t go there!” but pride hypnotically whispered, “You were right, He was wrong.” “Don’t give in, stand your ground!” “He should apologize first.” And with each prideful thought, I was lured further and further down the perilous path, while the enemy lurked and waited for me to plummet into the pit he had prepared.

How many of you have been “that girl” (or “that boy”)?

The Pitiful Pit of Pride

In the heat of the moment you lash out, you open up the door to that dark den and with every unkind word and pride-filled thought, you take a step further and further in.

A conflict that could have been resolved in a matter of seconds goes on for hours, which turns into days and now you’re ensnared in the enemy’s trap.

Proverbs 29:11 tells us “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” In an instant, I could have apologized for my actions, regardless of what brought it about; I could have brought calm in the end and escaped the enemy’s trap but, I didn’t — my pride prevailed. 

I once heard a Pastor say, “unkind words are like toothpaste, once they come out, they’re not going back in”! [Tweet this]

But God puts it so much more eloquently in Proverbs 15:1-2, “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.”

Oh — how many times has my mouth poured out foolishness!

The Perfect Peace of Christ

So how can we keep from falling into the enemy’s trap and replace our pride with God’s peace? Well here’s two tips (I learned the hard way) that I want to share:

1. Repent – In Hebrew, the word “repent” actually means to return, go back or to revert. When you are being lured down the path of pride, repenting is always the first thing that will stop you in your tracks and cause you to “go back”. 

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭NASB‬‬

2. Dwell in the house of the Lord – If we are seeking to spend time with the Lord and mediating on him day and night, we can’t help but become humbled and filled with his peace. 

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.” Psalms 27:4

We must dwell in the house of the Lord, if we want to stay out of the den of the devil. [Tweet this]

There are going to be times when temptation gets the best of us and we open that door towards devastation but God always provides a way out. 

If you’re on that path right now, STOP! GO BACK! Don’t give the enemy a foothold. Return to the Lord in repentance and allow His peace to prevail. 

Stop & Reflect: Have you found yourself on that perilous path of pride? What did you do to allow peace to prevail? Maybe you’re on it this moment, take time to reflect on whether you’re allowing peace or pride to prevail?

I’d love to hear how this post spoke to you, please share your heart in the comments below. 

God bless.

Anita Marie