This weekend had me thinking a lot about why it makes sense that there are three “U’s” in the word PRESUMPTUOUS. It’s because presumption is all about us—our plans, our timing, our desires. When we are presumptuous, we put ourselves at the center of the story rather than God. And a presumptuous attitude is incompatible with following Jesus. It pre-empts God, leads us off course, and can negatively impact every part of our faith walk.
To presume is to move ahead without waiting for God’s direction, to take control of situations because we think we know best or what “should be.” It’s like we’re saying, “I’ve got this, God—you can sit this one out.” But presumption always leads us into trouble.
When we think and/or act presumptuously, we often miss God’s best because we’ve jumped ahead and tried to do things on our own. Presumption shows a lack of trust in God’s wisdom and timing. It says: “I know the way,” while faith says, “Lord, show me the way.”
Presumption can lead to spiritual stagnation because we end up doing things for God but not with God. We replace genuine dependence on Him with self-reliance, and that prevents us from experiencing true spiritual growth.
We get a reminder about this in Proverbs 16:25: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.” Just because a path seems good to US does not mean it’s GOD’s way.
FALSE SECURITY
Presumption can also give us a false sense of security or even superiority. We might think that because we’re busy doing “God’s work,” we’re somehow immune to the tests and trials of life. But real spiritual security comes from humble reliance on God, not trying to insulate ourselves from pain.
Look at the power in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Trusting God means acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers and that His ways are higher than ours. Our confidence should be in Him, not in our plans or our abilities…or our EXPECTATIONS.
REMEDIES
The powerful combination of HUMILITY & OBEDIENCE is the antidote to a presumptuous attitude. Instead of assuming we know God’s will, we need to humble ourselves, seek His face, and wait for His guidance. Humility says, “God, I need You. I don’t have all the answers.” Obedience says, “I’ll go where You lead, Lord, even if I don’t understand the destination.”
Walking humbly means acknowledging that God is in charge and we’re not. It means seeking His will through prayer, studying His Word, and listening for His voice rather than presuming we already know what He wants us to do…or that our EXPECTATIONS should prevail.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Where might you be acting presumptuously? Are you pushing ahead without waiting for God’s direction? Are you allowing your EXPECTATIONS to override God’s plan?
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
