Humility is not the antidote to pride. Peace is the antidote to pride. I like to picture a throne sitting in my heart. God’s throne. He created it. He has the right to sit there. But, more often than not over the years, I have been guilty of removing God from His throne in my heart and sitting there myself. It’s a big throne, God sized. When He sits there, He fills up the space. But, when I sit on His throne, it’s too big for me. In fact when I sit on the throne I feel a little lost and small, insecure would be a good way to describe it. It’s a big responsibility to be a god and I’m not really up to the job description that comes with sitting on the throne. But all the same I like to rule my world.

When God sits on the throne, He doesn’t lack anything. He is perfect. He loves perfectly, judges perfectly, forgives perfectly, and the list goes on. When I sit on the throne I have a hard time doing anything perfectly. So I try all kinds of things to make myself look better. I can get really really busy buzzing around doing things and looking like I fill up the entire space of the throne. When I sit on the throne I’m dwarfed by it’s presence so I want to stand out, have things that will make me better than my neighbor. Take for example the need to acquire the latest model iPhone the minute it is available. All of the things I accumulate create excitement and my pride hides really well behind the excitement…so well I don’t even recognize it.

Or other times in life when I am at work, or church, or school and the leadership or a co-worker doesn’t measure up, maybe they are always late, or they messed up a project, I immediately get caught up in the circle of people talking about the “offense.” My pride hides behind my obvious superiority because I am smart enough not to commit such an offense. But, my insecurity is still there. It’s a tough job being perfect and it’s hard to hide imperfection while deluding myself into thinking I am projecting perfection.

Matthew 4 tells the story of Jesus and his disciples on the Sea of Galilee during a storm. A storm so fierce the disciples were afraid they would die. While they trembled with fear, Jesus slept. How could he sleep? Because He had peace. He kept the will of His Father ahead of his own will. When the disciples woke him, He stood up and said, “Peace, be still.” The storm quieted and peace reigned. Peace calmed the physical storm. Peace will also calm your emotional storms. Peace rules over frustrations. Peace rules over the frenzied need to obtain the newest and latest.

Jesus said in John 14:27, “My peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither be afraid.” Jesus gives us peace. When He gives us peace, we will not be troubled or afraid. When we decide to stop trying to rule our own life and let God sit on His throne in our hearts, we will have peace and peace will silence the storms which pride creates.

Peace gives us strength, strength gives us victory, victory gives us joy, and joy and peace walk hand in hand.