Shortly before her twenty-first birthday, Michelle decided to, quote, “leave God and make my own way in the world,” unquote. Years later, she came back to God, but not without a struggle. The issue for her, as it is for most, was a five-letter word. In her own words:  “Pride is equal to saying ‘I can do this all myself, thank you very much. I have my best interests in mind.’ I believe that this emotion is the opposite of trust. Trust is exhibited best when we are completely incapable of providing something for ourselves—and believe that God has our best interests at heart. To ‘wait on the Lord’ [Psalm 27:14] shows not only patience, but trust. Belief. Faith."

What a joy to read Michelle’s letter! What’s remarkable to me is that she doesn’t blame God or others for her choice to walk away from God. Instead, Michelle points to her own pride.

It’s one thing to admit that I’m a rugged individualist. It’s another to admit my pride, yet in the end I must. We all must. Proverbs 16:18 confirms it. “Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.”  And we’ve all experienced it. In the end, it’s our pride that must fall.

This is Andrew Palau.