How many of you have experienced that deceptive little sin called pride? It's one of my worst enemies. Especially because it's so easy to become prideful because you think you're humble! So, I've been wondering, how do you know if you truly are humble and not proud? Because if you think you're doing well at being humble, it's very easy to become proud of that. Should we even acknowledge that we're humble?
This issue recently came up when I was confronted with some personal issues. I thought I'd been conquering my pride well and being humble. But then I realized that I really was proud. So, now I'm working on being humble...but pride creeps in so easily that I don't even realize it sometimes! I'm proud that I'm not like other people; I'm proud that I have a good family, etc. I find it so hard not to look down on certain people...which is horrible, I know. Sometimes I get so angry at myself or angry at those around me and sometimes even angry at God.
I think I'm really starting to understand that the Christian life is a battle, a constant struggle against our flesh. At times, this is a discouraging thought...but then I rest on God's promises in His Word.
I know this post is a little different than most...but I'm hoping that some of you can share your own experiences with pride....
Megan
Megan Brainerd, from New York, is a busy nursing student who loves to hang out with her friends, read, and play the piano :) Her email is piano93@verizon.net.
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Thanks so much for this post Megan! (: I think I wrote a post on pride a few months back, so I had to come in and join the discussion. I have struggled with pride on and off, but for me, it is so easy to think, "Oh look at that talent I have. Not everyone has that. How cool." Once we let those little thoughts get into our head, it is so easy for pride to knock us off our feet. :) So I've struggled with pride on and off for the past few years or so.
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This reminds me of something I read in Mere Christianity;
ReplyDelete"Probably all you will think about [a humble man] is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what YOU said to HIM...He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all."
It's really tricky! Because I was thinking, "So how do you defeat pride? You focus on being humble." But that's not it - it's totally removing your focus from yourself. You know you're humble when you don't think about how humble you are! I can be very vain or proud so I really know where you're coming from. I'm thinking the only real way we can combat it is to pray and stop thinking about ourselves and shift our focus to worshiping God and serving others.
I have like the opposite problem. I'm generally not proud at all so I'm always putting myself down. Thinking I'm not good enough for anything which also isn't good because you're hating yourself when you should be loving yourself because God made you wonderfully in his image and hating yourself in a way is hating God and his creations. It's really hard to find a good balance in the middle of the two. Instead of being proud of yourself you should be proud of God for making you how he did, and thanking God for the talents he gave you. We shouldn't boast about ourselves but always boast about God.
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