spiritual pride

from Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis

Blessed are the simple-hearted; for they shall enjoy peace.

By two wings, a man is lifted up from things earthly, namely by Simplicity and Purity. Simplicity ought to be in our intention;
Purity in our affection.
Simplicity doth tend toward God;
Purity doth apprehend and(as it were)taste Him.

What thou art, that thou art; neither by words canst thou be made greater, than what thou art in the sight of God.

C.S. Lewis referred to spiritual pride as "Great Sin," for "it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind." ([i]Mere Christianity[/i], Lewis)

Spiritual pride is something I struggle with. I tend to rise up above my peers at school when it comes to academics and morality; thus it becomes all too easy to become haughty and say, "I’m such a good person. I’m smarter than they are. I love God more than they do! Those awful heathen!"

Yet when I compare myself to others, I am reminded of this truth: God alone is the sustainer of my life, and it is He that gives me breath. Therefore, without God, it is impossible for me to do anything! :lol:

What have I to be proud of, then? "For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:19)

For this topic I can recommend to you the books from Greg Violi "The Beauty of Holiness" or the "The Lambs Heart" or some Books from a guy named Arthur Burt (a friend of Wigglesworth) who had an immense revelation from god about pride.

Thank you. I will most certainly seek out these books.
Today, I borrowed The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer from my pastor.
From his prison cell, Bonhoeffer wrote that he could not get away from Jeremiah 45 (or for that matter from the Nazis).

Jeremiah 45
1The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
2Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch:
3Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.
4Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.
5And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

I have lived and worked in 5 states and the US Territory of Guam and have fallen prey to godless people saying and doing ungodly things.
And that's just in my family.

Where am I to go? What am I to do?