APRIL 28, 2026

 

“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

2 SAMUEL 19-22

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

3my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield^a and the horn^b of my salvation...

31“As for God, his way is perfect:

The Lord’s word is flawless;

he shields all who take refuge in him.

32For who is God besides the Lord?

And who is the Rock except our God?

33It is God who arms me with strength^h

and keeps my way secure...

50Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing the praises of your name. 

LUKE 22:1-38 

24A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 

JOURNAL

Yesterday I wrote about how regret can paralyze us. How it reaches back into the past and convinces us that who we were is still who we are, draining the life out of the present. But the same is true of worry and fear about the future. Instead of being trapped by what has already happened, we become trapped by what might happen.

At the root of both is the same issue. We doubt God. We do not fully trust that whatever tomorrow holds is already held by Him. We try to carry what was never ours to carry. Yet we are reminded that God is a rock, a fortress, a deliverer, a place of refuge. His way is perfect and He shields those who take refuge in Him. If that is true, then our fear is not about circumstances as much as it is about trust.

When we do not trust, we begin to take control. We attempt to predict outcomes, manage risks, and protect ourselves from pain. That weight shows up as anxiety, hesitation, and eventually inaction. We shrink back. We avoid stepping forward. Fear convinces us that movement is dangerous. And before long, we are no longer living freely but managing outcomes.

This is exactly where pride quietly slips in. The proud person wants to do the right thing, the great thing, but to do it in his own strength. That mindset puts us in a position we were never meant to occupy. It is not just a struggle with circumstances. It is a struggle with God.

We see this so clearly in the disciples. At the very moment when everything is about to change, when Jesus is about to be arrested and crucified, they are arguing about who is the greatest. Instead of recognizing what is right in front of them, they are consumed with position, status, and control. Jesus responds by flipping their understanding upside down. The greatest is not the one who takes, but the one who serves. True strength is not found in asserting control but in surrendering it.

Even Peter, full of confidence, insists that he is ready for anything. Yet he is warned that he will fail. Not because he lacks passion, but because he is relying on himself. His story reminds us that strength is not found in self confidence but in dependence.

And this is where both regret and worry lose their power. When we live in regret, we diminish the present. When we live in fear, we abandon it. In both cases, we miss what is right in front of us. We miss the invitation to live fully today.

There is a reason we are warned that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Pride tells us we must carry yesterday and control tomorrow. Humility releases both. It acknowledges that we are not God and do not need to be.

The invitation is simple. Trust Him with tomorrow. Lay it down and leave it there. Step into today with open hands. Move forward, take action, love people, and do the work in front of you without trying to secure the outcome.

Because when we release tomorrow, we recover today. And when we recover today, joy returns.

18Pride goes before destruction,

a haughty spirit before a fall.

 Proverbs 16:18