I thought i would start this as a new post but it's really following on from another thread.Pride really is a horrible thing. It's in us all at different degrees isnt it, but there are some christians that are submiting to leadership full of it. To humble yourself under such leaders exercises your own patience and crucifies your own pride. Those shepherds who take the visions of others and claims them as their own, to even take the Glory that belongs only to God even!Why do some leaders who obviously love the Lord & are commited to serve Him let prIde take over so much without even noticing it or admitting to it? This is a battle indeed. The sheep feel unloved, as their needs go by unattended too, ignored you can say, yet the ministries needs and the church buildings needs are often made known to the sheep in order that they contribute to that need be it financially or otherwise. Then there are those precious times when the Lord gives one of the sheep a vision and the Holy Spirit prompts him/her to share that vision. When they do the pastors prIde cannot accept it and will overide what that individual has shared with his own vision. A poem is beautifully shared, prIde rises up to pick it to pieces. All that is beautifull pride hates. Now the leader is probably just that, a leader but are they ready to pastor sheep when prIde is manifest in such a big way? When these concerns are shared with the pastor they are furious. PrIde gives way to anger and rage to the point where you must back down and accept you were wrong :-( Much of the flock have grown used to it and accept it. They know their place and to keep quiet, not to visit any other church if they can help it or share when they have been blessed listening to another mans sermon.PrIde is terrible and can cause the sheep to stop growing, stop sharing spiritually with their pastor. But in it all i see an opportunity to grow. To patiently endure these things seeking The Lord everyday in our own personal time with Him, Praying for that pastor, and letting God have His way in the situation so that it becomes more of Him and less of you.
