The Problem With Pride

Pride leads to disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 (NLT)

In her book, Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close, Lysa Terkeurst states, “I believe the opposite of pride is trust in God. Pride begs us to believe it all depends on us. Trusting God requires us to place our dependence on Him. And the pathway that leads us away from pride and into a place of truly trusting God is paved with humility. Humility is never bought at a cheap price. It will always cost us something but will be worth the price we pay.”

The chief problem with pride is that it offers us a feeling of satisfaction. We are content with our accomplishments, which leaves no room for trust and personal growth. I’m not saying it’s wrong to feel pleasure and gratification on a job well done. But whenever we’re tempted to believe ‘I’ve got this,’ we tend to plow ahead with our own agenda and in our own strength rather than seeking God’s guidance.

Lysa goes on to say, “If God sees big things ahead for you, and I believe He does, then He must remove all hints of pride. Even if pride is but a tiny thorn in your heart now, when you are given a bigger position with more recognition, that pride will grow from a thorn to a dagger with the potential to kill your calling.”

Here are four great habits to adopt (please comment below if you’ve found a tried and true habit I haven’t listed here):

1. Recognize that all we are and have are not of our own making but are gifts from God (2 Peter 1:3, Hebrews 13:20-21)
2. Keep in mind that everything we say and do is intended for God’s glory and not ours (Romans 11:36)
3. Pray at all times. Ask God to point out any signs of pride. Ask his help in destroying its grip on our lives (Psalm 139:23-24)
4. Find an accountability partner, someone who isn’t afraid to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, Proverbs 27:6)

Pedestals are a very lonely place to be. Far better to be humble like Jesus, for we will never be alone as long as we are busy washing other people’s feet.

Lysa Terkeurst, Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close, (Nashville, TN: Nelson Publishing, 2018), pg.97-98.