What is the antidote to pride? Humility. And in our day and age, we desperately need a strong dose of it — both personally and culturally.

In his classic book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis identified the danger of pride with striking clarity:

“The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility…According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

Do not overlook what he is saying: pride “is the complete anti-God state of mind.” In other words, pride exalts self above God, while humility recognizes our complete dependence upon Him. Again and again, Scripture warns against pride and calls us to humble ourselves before Him. In 1 Peter 5:5–6 we are told:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
…
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

Jesus warned us:

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
~Matthew 23:12

The greatest example of humility is our Lord Jesus Christ:

“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
~Philippians 2:8

Throughout Scripture, pride and self-exaltation are condemned. God delights instead in those who come before Him with humility and reverence:

“But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.”
~Isaiah 66:2

This biblical truth stands in stark contrast to a culture that celebrates “Pride” Month — a movement that rejects God’s good design for marriage, sexuality, and the family.

Thankfully, we are seeing a growing effort to affirm what is true and good. Several states have chosen to recognize June with celebrations of marriage, fidelity, and the natural family — including “Fidelity Month,” “Nuclear Family Month,” “Strong Families Month,” and “Marriage and Family Month.”

Our own U.S. Representative Mary Miller (R-Taylorville) has  introduced a resolution in Congress, designation “June as Family Month,” saying

“The traditional family is the greatest obstacle to the Left’s cultural agenda … As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we should honor and strengthen the nuclear family…”

These are small but welcome steps toward honoring the institution God established. Strong marriages and intact families are not only biblical — they are foundational for human flourishing. God’s design for the family provides the best foundation for nurturing children, forming character, passing on faith, and preparing the next generation to become productive members of society.

Celebrating the natural family is a meaningful way to push back against a culture that has forgotten or rejected God’s standard and design.

Yet we must never forget that we are ultimately engaged in a spiritual battle that requires fervent prayer, steadfast faith, and complete dependence upon God. As we stand for what is good and true, we must also remember His command to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18), trusting in His goodness and sovereignty in all circumstances.

Thanksgiving & Praise

• Thank God for His good design for marriage and family. Pray that our culture would once again recognize that these institutions are not optional or outdated, but were established by God for His glory and our good. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18, 24; Matthew 19:4-6; Psalm 127:3-5)

• Thank God for your spouse or future spouse. Pray that God would strengthen marriages so they reflect His love and design, inspiring the next generation to honor marriage and build strong, faithful families.

• Thank Him for the good parents and grandparents you know. Pray that God would give them wisdom to raise strong children who love the Lord. (Malachi 2:15)

• Thank the Lord for strong fathers and grandfathers who love God, and faithfully provide for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of their families. Pray that more men would embrace their God-given calling to lead, love, and serve. (Joshua 24:15; Psalm 78:4; Proverbs 20:7; Ephesians 6:4)

• Thank the Lord for the gift of family. Thank Him for the love, laughter, challenges, struggles, and opportunities to grow together. Praise God for using our families to sharpen us, sanctify us, and teach us to love and serve one another more like Christ. (Proverbs 27:17; Romans 8:28–29)

Please Join Us As We… 

• Pray that the body of Christ would shake off apathy, complacency, and selfishness. Pray for a renewed zeal to obey God’s command to make disciples and teach the nations to observe all that Jesus commanded. (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 12:11)

• Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help as we seek to walk in humility and strengthen our faith. Pray that God would use us as instruments to boldly proclaim the Gospel and uphold His truth, defend the vulnerable, and overcome evil with good — not for our own purposes, but for His glory alone. (Romans 12:21; Micah 6:8)

• Pray for that God would raise up more and more God-fearing men and women who will boldly speak out against the sins of abortion, sexual immorality, human trafficking, drug abuse and addiction, gambling expansion, and the erosion of marriage and family. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help and discernment for the days ahead.

• Pray that God will raise up His people to positions of authority in both business and government. People that are not afraid to openly align themselves with God’s truths. Individuals that desire to lead in a manner that is contagious and Gospel focused.

• Pray for wisdom for parents. Pray that they would understand how to teach their children with love and patience and guide them in the Word.

• Pray for newlyweds and new parents in your family and church. Pray that they would understand the times in which we live and faithfully embrace their God-given responsibility to disciple their children. Ask God to give parents wisdom and courage as they make educational decisions — seeking options that uphold biblical truth. Ask God to help the next generation grow in faith. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalm 78:6-7)

• Pray that the “Greater Than” campaign would be successful in its fight to overturn the devastating Obergefell decision, which legalized same-sex “marriage” and further eroded God’s design for the family by making moms and dads increasingly optional in the culture.

• Pray for grandparents’ health and legacy. Pray that God would use grandparents to build a legacy of faithfulness.

• Pray for wisdom and opportunities to expose the deception that portrays abortion pills as “safe and simple.”

• Pray that people would understand the harms of marijuana use, gambling addiction, and the sexualization of children.

• Pray that your family members, friends, and neighbors would see through the lies of assisted suicide that are often disguised as “compassion.” Pray that they would understand the dignity and value of every human life and recognize that even in suffering, God is at work accomplishing His purposes. (Romans 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

• Pray for a renewed and earnest hunger for God in our families, churches, and communities. Ask the Lord to revive our hearts, deepen our love for Him, and help us faithfully seek Him and His righteousness above all else. (Matthew 6:33; Psalm 42:1-2; 85:6)

Government Leaders & Public Officials

• Pray for the U.S. Supreme Court as it will hand down its decisions about the legality of mailing abortion pills nationwide, birthright citizenship and other major issues affecting life, family, and constitutional matters.

• Pray for our military leaders, troops, sailors, and intelligence personnel serving in dangerous areas. Pray for God’s protection over them and for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict with Iran.

• Pray for those serving in the FBI, Secret Service, ICE, and Department of Homeland Security as they work to protect our nation. Pray that God would grant them wisdom, protection, integrity, and strength for the responsibilities before them.

• Pray that God would protect our nation from foreign and domestic enemies who would seek to use dangerous pathogens, viruses, harmful fungi, or other biological threats for evil purposes. Pray that God would give our leaders wisdom and vigilance and that He would expose evil plans and protect our nation from those who intend harm. (Psalm 127:1; Psalm 91; 1 Timothy 2:1–2)

• Pray for wisdom and godly counsel for leaders at every level of government and their staffs. Pray for your local and county officials.

• Pray that many godly counselors, pastors, and Christian leaders would seek ways to minister to elected officials and share the Gospel. (Proverbs 11:14)

• Pray that God would work in the heart and mind of President Donald Trump. Please also pray for the entire Executive Branch of government. (Psalm 47:7-9)

• Pray that God would work in the hearts and minds of those serving in the Illinois General Assembly. Ask the Lord to help them understand the blessings of self-government and our constitutional republic, and to reject policies that foster government dependency, undermine personal responsibility, or weaken parental authority. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

• Pray that the Holy Spirit would soften the hearts of His people to worship Him alone and to love Him with all of their heart, strength and soul. (Mark 12:30)

• Pray that those who are called by His name would humble themselves before the Lord, seek His perfect will, and faithfully follow His commands and statutes. Pray that we would surrender our own desires and faithfully live out the words of Jesus: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

IFI & IFA

• Pray for the staff and board members of Illinois Family Institute and Illinois Family Action.

• Pray that God would provide resources, funding, volunteers and strategic opportunities to boldly bring biblical principles to the public square.

• Pray for wisdom, endurance, and faithfulness as we seek to advance biblical truth in Illinois.