[Shepherding the sheep with One heart] Repentance that overcome the pride

Every person has the desire to be a leader. I could see that some underqualified church members try to become elders, deacons, and deaconesses. By trying to be honored, they misunderstand that the church's leadership position is a kind of promotion. The position is given by the name of God as a mission so that they can do the work of God. Giving the position to an unworthy person will be misusing the name of God. This is a kind of pride that takes the name of God in vain.

I also see that someone who expected to receive a leadership position did not actually get it. Then the person got offended and left the church. Then my heart got really troubled. The person got offended by not being recognized or being well-treated by church members. It came from being arrogant. Being tempted to be honored, served, or complemented, the person should realize his or her arrogancy.

You should not be discouraged even if you don't get any leadership position. You should long for a better opportunity and be humble thinking, “I was so proud with no qualification. I will make myself qualified.” All of us should serve God only. Why do you trying to be served? Pride has a wicked nature in trying to rise up to the position of God. Most people have a mindset of pride. But we have to root out the mindset to spiritually survive.

The faith life is not forcing ourselves to endure not doing sin. By the word of God, you should realize and repent of your sin, kneeling down and relying on the work of the blood of Jesus so that you can be filled with the holy spirit and become holy. The personality of the Holy Spirit should be revealed in you after driving out the nature of sin. You should have characters of God. This is a key to overcoming pride.

Pastor Seok-Jeon Yoon

Extracted from Yonsei Newspaper #714