Pride

[gladstone]

I know this is bringing up an old post subject from 2004 which Chad posted and I thought was excellent.

I'm worried that I suffer from elements of pride, and wonder whether anyone has any thoughts on how to control it, or counteract it as it is a difficult concept.

If I do something well, and am pleased with it, is this pride?
If I do something well, and please someone else with the results, is this pride?
I know I like to be right, but I can accept being wrong too, but if I am right, and know it, I will argue my case.
I am also a little competitive, and enjoy a good game, but is this pride too?

I feel that there is a fine line between being pleased and pride, and if anyone can clarify things for me, I'd be grateful.

It's really quite hard to try and change how you think on things and I'm worrying I'm not doing enough to beat this malicious sin.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Faithful Son]

Hi gladstone, I moved your post to the Bible Chat section as you required. I hope someone will be able to help you with an answer.

God bless you

teraside

 

[Faithin1]

After reading your posting I felt compelled to share an experience with you that happened several years ago. My mother and I were attending a revival at our church, when suddenly a man began slithering around the pews as though he were a snake. I had never witnessed anything like it before. He actually did not appear to have a bone in his body. People started running for the door, and the pastor told everyone to stay and not to fear the devil. The man then stood in the front of the sanctuary with his arms stretched as though immitating Christ on the cross. The pastor ordered him to identify himself, and he responded in a demonic sounding voice, "PRIDE." The pastor and other members of his staff took the man to another location of the church, and we were told the following day that they were at the church all night until early the next morning dealing with the situation.

I am not implying that your situation is similar in any manner to this incident, or that you have some sort of demonic influence. I only mention it because pride is mentioned numerous times in the Bible as not pleasing God.

We all feel good when we succeed or accomplsh something or when others acknowledge us for a job well done. That is not a sin. When we think that we are responsible for our talents and our success and fail to acknowledge God and fail to give Him the honor and glory, that's when we open ourselves to sin.

Some of the scriptures that mention pride are:

1 John 2:16 - "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

Proverbs 16:18 - "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Obadiah 1:3 - "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground."

Proverbs 8:13 - "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."

Always remember Proverbs 3:6, "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."

I don't know if this has helped, I hope so. Stay in prayer, and seek God's direction. With Him, you can't go wrong. God bless!

 

[DeaconBob3]

Gladstone: Let's talk about pride a little. The dictionary defines pride as follows;

1. A sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect. 2. Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, a possession, or an association: parental pride. 3. Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness

The first definition is not necessarily a problem to the believer, as long as in valuing ourselves, we do not do so at the expense of giving the Honor to God.
Since all of our knowledge, ability, strength and what we accomplish with them come from God, a believer should always be thankful, grateful and praising God when he/she accomplishes anything at any time.

In the second definition, we again are not into a problem as long as we thank God for outcome, the blessing or the belonging, because these also come from our God given abilities.

However when we get to the third definition we see the sinful result of being self focused and thinking that we are better than someone else. We see sin in active application. The Bible says that God hates a haughty spirit.

We may certainly rejoice when we have succeeded at something, accomplished a goal, won a race or perhaps even a debate. However, our joy should be mixed with humility and meekness toward God who has provided us with all our abilities and capabilities.

As Christians we are to walk in the Spirit and let our flesh be dead upon the cross of Christ. This means that we let the Spirit lead us, we keep our focus on Jesus and not on our "self." When we succeed, we thank God for our abilities and then enjoy the results. This keeps our soul in submission, humbled before our Mighty God. If we walk after the Spirit, our heart and mind set will be humble before God, yet may we still enjoy the accomplishments in a right relationship to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The very fact that you are concerned about this suggests that your heart is humble enough to ask. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you properly and listen to His leading and all will be well with your soul.

 

[maciek]

Pride is poor self image in God...

According to my understanding pride is lack of self acceptance. To accept I am a creature of God and I am not almighty. To accept that I am only image of God but not God Himself. So self acceptance is the beginning of humility. Humility is the fertile ground of charity.

 

[Stylez4Christ]

Can somebody give me a example of pride????

 

[maciek]

History has enough...

From Adam till Saddam Hussein we have the examples of pride and what more you need...Pride has various forms...ungratefulness, selfrighteousness, despising others, narrow nationalism, racism and so on....what more you need.???

 

[DeaconBob3]

Dear Stylez4Christ:

I will give you an example of prideful behavior that is sinful. But first go up three posts and look at the definitions OK? (they are in my previous post)

Now if someone is successful at something like, sports, schoolwork, or at a job and thinks that they did it completely on his or her own ability, without realizing that this is the result of "God given abilities" that is pride that has stepped into sin.

We can all fall into this, unless as Maciek posted previously, we accept who we are in Christ and realize that all these "successes" come from our developing and using our "God given" abilities.

I had a problem with pride in my professional career. As a young chemist I was given a project that was quite challenging, one I had no idea how to tackle. I prayed and asked God to show me how to organize and tackle the problem and He answered my prayer. I successfully completed the project and it resulted in a significant new product for the company I was working for. In fact, the new product was so successful that after 26 years it was still the preferred way to solve certain industrial problems.

Initially, I was complimented on the success and I received certain rewards for the work from my company. As a result of this successful project I was blessed with both financial and management opportunities beyond what was normal for a person my age or experience. In short I had a wonderful career during most of those 26 years. But something happened to me along the way.

I began to believe that I had accomplished these "things." I am sad to say that I forgot all about how I had relied upon God in the beginning and began to think and act like I did it all on my own. I changed from being "Christ reliant" to "self reliant."

What happened then is an example of what the bible tells us that God means when He says that "He will not always strive with (be with or support) man because he is flesh and I was flesh.

I was assigned a project that was not all that difficult, so I thought, and I began working on it believing that I could do it. By the time I realized that I needed God's help I was in trouble professionally and I had stopped listening to His voice. In the end I failed and I lost my job. My pride had led me to fall.

I hope that these help you to see what pride is, and help you to learn to always lean on God as the source of everything in your life.

 

[stephen]

Hello gladstone.

Reading your post, and the questions you asked, I do not think you have anything to be worried about on this matter. When you meet 'pride' believe me you will recognise it. Pride stinks. Forgive me, but as I say when you meet it you will be amazed at its brazen-ness. It will trample upon you, without even being aware.

Here is a link to something which Chad posted the other day. I found it interesting...

http://www.talkjesus.com/scriptural-answers/10587-7-deadly-sins.html?highlight=deadly+sins

 

[Stylez4Christ]

Dear Stylez4Christ:

I will give you an example of prideful behavior that is sinful. But first go up three posts and look at the definitions OK? (they are in my previous post)

Now if someone is successful at something like, sports, schoolwork, or at a job and thinks that they did it completely on his or her own ability, without realizing that this is the result of "God given abilities" that is pride that has stepped into sin.

We can all fall into this, unless as Maciek posted previously, we accept who we are in Christ and realize that all these "successes" come from our developing and using our "God given" abilities.

I had a problem with pride in my professional career. As a young chemist I was given a project that was quite challenging, one I had no idea how to tackle. I prayed and asked God to show me how to organize and tackle the problem and He answered my prayer. I successfully completed the project and it resulted in a significant new product for the company I was working for. In fact, the new product was so successful that after 26 years it was still the preferred way to solve certain industrial problems.

Initially, I was complimented on the success and I received certain rewards for the work from my company. As a result of this successful project I was blessed with both financial and management opportunities beyond what was normal for a person my age or experience. In short I had a wonderful career during most of those 26 years. But something happened to me along the way.

I began to believe that I had accomplished these "things." I am sad to say that I forgot all about how I had relied upon God in the beginning and began to think and act like I did it all on my own. I changed from being "Christ reliant" to "self reliant."

What happened then is an example of what the bible tells us that God means when He says that "He will not always strive with (be with or support) man because he is flesh and I was flesh.

I was assigned a project that was not all that difficult, so I thought, and I began working on it believing that I could do it. By the time I realized that I needed God's help I was in trouble professionally and I had stopped listening to His voice. In the end I failed and I lost my job. My pride had led me to fall.

I hope that these help you to see what pride is, and help you to learn to always lean on God as the source of everything in your life.

I guest I did had pride on me to I guest well we all have pride but I always thank God everytime I go to bed for the things he had done for me but don't always say the things like thank you for helping me studying but instead of that I always say thank you lord for what you have done on my day.....

 

[gladstone]

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

I really feel better having read your definitions and answers.

And I'm thankful that we have this site to be able to ask these questions.

X

 

[Spreadtheword]

After reading your posting I felt compelled to share an experience with you that happened several years ago. My mother and I were attending a revival at our church, when suddenly a man began slithering around the pews as though he were a snake. I had never witnessed anything like it before. He actually did not appear to have a bone in his body. People started running for the door, and the pastor told everyone to stay and not to fear the devil. The man then stood in the front of the sanctuary with his arms stretched as though immitating Christ on the cross. The pastor ordered him to identify himself, and he responded in a demonic sounding voice, "PRIDE." The pastor and other members of his staff took the man to another location of the church, and we were told the following day that they were at the church all night until early the next morning dealing with the situation.

mg: That story scared me! mg: