Pride Prevents Freedom in the Soul

Pride prevents people from asking forgiveness from those they have offended.

Many people who say they walk with Christ, have offended people but see no need to even discuss what has happened, resistanceto discussion and confession is rampant among many believers.

They prefer to act as though just being nice next time will fix things, but it does not.

As long as someone has been treated disrespectfully, they will not trust those who make a practice of it and then return to pretend it never happened.

Trust is only restored when there is brokenness over having offended another brother or sister. Without this brokenness we can be sure that the same behavior will continue.

Isaiah 57:15 " 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite."

Luke 9:23
"23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

There is no denying of self when we cannot confess sinfulness to be cleansed.

Psalm 34:18
"18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Those who retain their pride through stubborness, resisting confession to be reconciled will not only do it with people but also with God.

There is a tendency for stubborn people to live in a world of pretense, they pretend they did nothing wrong, they pretend it was all fixed by coming back as though it never happened, even though there was never any desire to admit their sin. Those who walk in pretense, choosing to believe things about themselves that are not true to keep from having to humble themselves, only grow in one direction, that is "worse", until they repent, then they will begin the growth process again, cleansed and free.

Those that will not repent, grow more and more guilty in their soul, having to continually justify themselves while becoming more hardened with each resistance to confession.

Let's not stagnate in our growth, stagnation does not remain there it leads to regression, along with more and more bitterness of soul. There is no freedom and peace for the heart that resists correction and confession.