Proud or Broken?


The Heart God Revives

by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Proud people focus on the failures of others.

Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need.

Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope.
Broken people are compassionate; they can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven.

Proud people are self-righteous; they look down on others.
Broken people esteem all others better than themselves.

Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit.
Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for others.

Proud people have to prove that they are right.
Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

Proud people claim rights; they have a demanding spirit.
Broken people yield their rights; they have a meek spirit.

Proud people are self-protective of their time, their rights, and their reputation.
Broken people are self-denying.

Proud people desire to be served.
Broken people are motivated to serve others.

Proud people desire to be a success.
Broken people are motivated to be faithful and to make others a success.

Proud people desire self-advancement.
Broken people desire to promote others.

Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated.
Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness; they are thrilled that God would use them at all.

Proud people are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked.
Broken people are eager for others to get the credit; they rejoice when others are lifted up.

Proud people have a subconscious feeling, “This ministry/church is privileged to have me and my gifts”; they think of what they can do for God.
Broken people’s heart attitude is, “I don’t deserve to have a part in any ministry”; they know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.

Proud people feel confident in how much they know.
Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn.

Proud people are self-conscious.
Broken people are not concerned with self at all.

Proud people keep others at arms’ length.
Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and to take risks of loving intimately.

Proud people are quick to blame others.
Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they are wrong in a situation.

Proud people are unapproachable or defensive when criticized.
Broken people receive criticism with a humble, open spirit.

Proud people are concerned with being respectable, with what others think; they work to protect their own image and reputation.
Broken people are concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; they are willing to die to their own reputation.

Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual need with others.
Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs.

Proud people want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up.
Broken people, once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; they are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.

Proud people have a hard time saying, “I was wrong; will you please forgive me?”
Broken people are quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary.

Proud people tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin.
Broken people are able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin.

Proud people are concerned about the consequences of their sin.
Broken people are grieved over the cause, the root of their sin.

Proud people are remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught.
Broken people are truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, evidenced in the fact that they forsake that sin.

Proud people wait for the other to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship.
Broken people take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been.

Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor.
Broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy.

Proud people are blind to their true heart condition.
Broken people walk in the light.

Proud people don’t think they have anything to repent of.
Broken people realize they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.

Proud people don’t think they need revival, but they are sure that everyone else does.
Broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.

(The above article was found from Revive Our Hearts Ministries)

I struggle with pride a lot.  Sometimes, I wonder… why is God so gentle with me when I am so proud?  That is his way with sinners- gentle, slow to anger and tender hearted.  I am so thankful for his compassion on me.  God has been so gently at work teaching me what it is to be humbled and broken.  I stumbled across this article by Nancy Leigh Demoss, and it was really helpful for me to see examples from my own life where I am prideful and arrogant instead of soft-hearted, meek and broken.

Do you identify more withe being proud or broken?  We are not condemned if we struggle with pride.  We are invited to confess that we need a deeper understanding of what he did for us on the cross, his forgiveness and love so that we can be free to be more of a broken person, more of a free person.

March At Our Apartment

Waffles are the perfect Saturday breakfast, wouldn’t you agree?  We got a waffle maker for Christmas, we’ve been enjoying making waffles with blackberries, strawberries, bananas, and a touch of cinnamon… yum!

What? Is that OUR closet?  Yes, my friends, is IS.  We have been busy going through all of our “stuff” and getting rid of a lot because we are moving in two weeks!  I got rid of about 100 things that I haven’t worn in over a year- that feels so good!  I was inspired by Cultivating Collection’s post  “Closet Cleanout”.  Thanks, Jen, for the tips!  I was also motivated by these simple moving tips from Passionate Homemaking blog.  Lindsay recommends to get rid of as much as you can before you move…

I was able to get some extended practice time and was inspired to write two new songs.   One is called “You Deliver Me” and the other is called “The Long Confession.”  I’m excited to see how they develop.

Nick and I got to take a weekend up at my parent’s cabin.  We were so grateful for a short peaceful and restful two days together!  Our fire only looked like this for about 5 minutes… haha we are city people!

In preperation for our move, I am becoming quite industrious.  I cleaned out this cute shabby chic white hutch and posted an ad on craigslist.  I’m selling it for $40.00.  ANYONE  interested?  Call, comment, email or text me!

Well, March for the Stromwall’s has been a lot of preparation for our move on April 1st.  I’ll post about that soon!  I’m thankful for the bits of motivation I’ve been given considering my struggle with motivation in the last days of winter… accomplishing small goals is what I’m all about!

Happy Saturday to You,

Katie

Change It Up

Happy Spring!  Snow is melting, and its 40 degrees.  Glorious, huh?  I think its safe to say the winter has taken its toll on me.  Right about the end of February/beginning of March, I struggle to feel motivated to do ANYthing.  So I’ve been thankful for little small accomplishments… like taking a shower, doing the dishes, writing a thank you note… even if not much else gets accomplished, I’m thankful when I’m able to just “do the next thing.”  I think God understands that days of constant grey and cold DO affect the human heart and emotions… at least mine :)  Its been such a season not  feeling like doing things… can anyone relate to me in that?  I have such a need to pursue things that will help stir my affections for God and help me enjoy Him, which means I need to change it up a bit.  These are some fun resources and ideas I am excited about trying and spending some time soaking in this week.  Thought I’d pass them along to you if you want to join me!

  1. Take a prayer walk- jot down anxieties/needs on a notecard and walk in the sunshine and pray! ”…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
  2. Ask God to help you cultivate a grateful heart: “Gratitude: The Attitude that Transforms” by Nancy Leigh Demoss
  3. Sermon from Sovereign Grace Church “The Savior’s Compassion” by Steve Whitacre Mark 6: 30-56
  4. Watch the Jesus Film to be refreshed and awed by the life of Jesus
  5. “Proud vs. Broken Relationships” devotional by Nancy Leigh Demoss (Its a 2 min audio and then a short conversation to read through)
  6. True Woman Blog- Peruse the blog- there’s so many great topics!
  7. Here’s the link to singleness posts
  8. Radical Womanhood Blog Posts about singles and the church
  9. “Things That Are True About You” a musical blog post: a series on our Identity.
  10. “Talk To Your Tears” article by John Piper
  11. Paint your toenails a bright color. Last weekend, a few girlfriends and I sat inside a cozy cabin while the snow fell and painted our toes neon pink and orange… anything bright and cheery!
  12. Listen to music that fills you with God’s promises and clean/declutter- turn it up loud!

I hope this week you are overwhelmed by how loved you are by God and that your identity would rest in his judgement of you as a believer in Jesus: forgiven, adored, no longer forsaken, clothed in HIS righteousness, adopted, loved, blessed, secure, safe, daughter, friend, heir of the throne of grace…

Praying that in this grey, slushy season, your soul would be cheered in little moments by knowing what Jesus went through to make you his own, to win over your heart, to bring you back to him… its still true, even when we’re not feeling it.

Love,

Katie