But God gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
“At all times you should fear God, and every day you should examine yourself to see what good things you have done and what bad things. And you should forget what was good, lest you succumb to the passion of self-esteem. But where what was bad is concerned you should weep, confess, and pray intensely.”
Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022) in “One Hundred and Fifty-Three Practical and Theological Texts” in Philokalia V4.51.
Symeon urges us to forget the good we do, lest we succumb to the passion of self-esteem, also known as pride.
I am spending time with a forgetful person in South Australia. He’s done a lot of good and yet as today’s text instructs us, after examination, he has forgotten all or most of it. God has poured out grace on him in his humble state. Perhaps you can think of a person that exhibits both generosity and humility.
How do we walk in their footsteps? Symeon points the way. We examine ourselves and forget what is good. God help us with this. God give us grace to do more good, examine ourselves daily, and maintain a posture of forgetfulness.