And for this good will and good purpose that they have by the gift of God, they shall increase in grace and in charity here all their life long; and they shall have for this special will a special reward in the bliss of heaven above other chosen souls, who offered not wholly their will and their body to God’s service, neither openly nor privately as they did. All these, whom I call God’s servants, and of His court more specially, if they, through frailty and ignorance, when they feel such stirrings of vainglory, for the time delight therein, and perceive not that they do so, for that their reason and senses are letted through that liking which they feel, so that they cannot so well see those stirrings, they sin not deadly in this liking of vainglory. For that will that they have in general set in their heart before, to please God, and to forsake all manner of sin, if they knew it, keepeth them here, that they sin not deadly in such stirrings, and in all other that come of frailty, and will keep them still as long as the ground of that will is kept whole. (John Climacus)

We are each tempted by pride, even those servants of God who most effectively discipline their will.

In serving God it is easy to momentarily mistake the glory of God as our own glory, and to like the feeling. This is inaccurate. Acting on the delusion is dangerous to ourselves and to others.

Feeling pride is practically innate. Deluded perception is widespread. Recognizing the error and refusing to act on it keeps us whole.