One of the biggest hindrances to accepting the grace of God is our pride!  It’s a huge hindrance.  If it doesn’t prevent us from accepting that we are wrong in the first place, and realising that we fell…and then accepting that we need forgiveness and grace to do what is right, it will prevent us from enjoying the grace of God and walking in our newness.

Pride tells us that we should be ashamed for failing, and so because we don’t want to be ashamed, we can’t admit fault.  Pride tells us only weak people need help, and since we are not weak, we should be able to achieve great things without grace.  Pride wants all the glory, so ultimately, it tries to deny that we need saving…and we will resist a saviour, because we are ‘good enough’.

And then at the last point, when we have been faced with our weakness and depravity and desperation for God, Pride takes us to the extreme of condemnation.  It wants us to wallow in self-pity, guilt and shame.  Ultimately, the focus of pride is on yourself.

You beat yourself up because you needed grace.  You beat yourself up because your image…

Read more at http://blog.ufuomaee.org/enjoying-the-grace-of-god-part-three