"Protecting myself From humility Unwilling to sacrifice What I don’t need" - this says so much! Yes, unwililng to sacrifice what he KNOWS is not needed. Indeed this is recognition, a realization, and growth and change from within cannot proceed without a beginning, without this realization, without these inner struggles...

An expression of pride here I think! "I stand my ground" as if we really have anything we can really call our own, especially if we claim Christ as Lord! There is the rub!