Pride, Low Self-Esteem and Hearing God: Part One of Four
Pride is dangerous for many reasons but one of the greatest
reasons is because it gets in the way of hearing God. Psalm 25:9 tells us that God guides the humble in what is right and teaches
them His way. This is serious stuff
therefore I’m going to take four blog posts to talk about pride, low
self-esteem (a form a pride), healthy identity (self-esteem) and how this
relates to Hearing God.
What is Pride?
Most of us know that a proud person has a high opinion of
themselves; they see themselves as important or superior. When I say the word pride, there are many
synonyms that come to mind - conceited, arrogant, vain, filled with ego, puffed
up, a bragger or boaster. There are many forms and facets to pride yet it always
ends up with the same result – SELF GLORIFICATION.
The proud exaggerate their abilities, struggle with self-admiration
and often have an excessive desire to be admired by others. I’m sure we all
know someone who is conceited and is constantly bragging about their abilities,
their accomplishments, their vacations or even their kids...self-glorification!!!
Yet pride has other forms, some have a preoccupation with
themselves and their troubles. Sometimes proud people crave being the centre of
attention so badly that they will actually overshare their problems in order to
stay the centre of attention. As long as
the limelight is on them, they are happy...self-glorification!!!!
Most often people are blind to their pride, they don’t
recognize it in themselves or have the ability to see that it’s a motivator in
their lives. Yet let’s not pass judgement too quickly, for we are all susceptible
to pride. The truth is that we have become so encultured
that pride has subtly eased its way into a place of dominance within our lives
and within the Church. Anytime we exalt something over God we are living in
idolatry, and the prideful exalt themselves over God.
This makes pride the utmost evil. The difference between pride and humility is
the difference between good and evil.
The sin of pride is poisonous, it is venomous, it’s blinding. It blinds us to our own sin. The sin of pride leads to all other sins such
as jealousy, hatred, spitefulness, anger/rage, deception, control, abuse,
murder, unfaithfulness, indiscretions of all kinds, etc. Pride is at the core
of all sin because pride ultimately is contending with God through SELF
GLORIFICATION. Yet we are to glorify
Christ and not ourselves (Romans 11:36; 15:17; 16:27; 1 Cor. 10:3).
Characteristics
of Prideful People:
- Struggle with admitting they are wrong
- Feel that they have achieved their accomplishments on their own ‘self-made’ success; they strive for self-advancement.
- Tend to boast about their accomplishments either outwardly/spoken or inwardly/unspoken; they seek the praise of others and may have grandiose thoughts about themselves
- Feel like they need to know everything
- Tend to like to have control over other people
- Are inflexible; not wanting to change unless they can initiate it (control); want to have their own way.
- Make assumptions and tend to want to speak first and be heard yet struggle with listening to others.
- Tend to think they are better than other people whether unspoken or spoken.
- Tend to harbor grudges and don’t easily forgive
- Feel self-righteous about their offenses
Proverbs 11:2 “When
pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble,”
Proverbs 15:33 “The
fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor.”
Proverbs 8:13 “The
fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”
Next blog post - low self-esteem (how it's actually pride)!
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