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Overcoming your pride
"Do not be wise in your own eyes." PROVERBS 3:7 (NIV)
To overcome your pride you must:
1) recognise your pride. Benjamin Franklin observed, 'Not one of our natural passions is harder to subdue than pride. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.' It is a funny thing that as soon as we realise we're humble and not proud that we're proud again! Pride is something that can stop us, especially when we're young, from doing some amazing thing. We're so scared of looking stupid!
2) be thankful. Paul writes, 'No matter what happens, always be thankful' (1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLB). Oprah Winfrey suggests, 'Keep a gratitude journal. Every night list five things that happened this day that you are grateful for. It will change your life. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never have enough. If you focus on what you have, you will always see that the universe is abundant and you'll have more.' Selfish people never think they get as much as they deserve. If you're always thinking of things to be thankful for, that kind of pride will go!
3) learn to laugh at yourself. The Chinese proverb says, 'Blessed are they that laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be entertained.' Proud people don't find it easy to laugh at themselves. So today have a little chuckle at your own expense!
"Do not be wise in your own eyes." PROVERBS 3:7 (NIV)
To overcome your pride you must:
1) recognise your pride. Benjamin Franklin observed, 'Not one of our natural passions is harder to subdue than pride. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.' It is a funny thing that as soon as we realise we're humble and not proud that we're proud again! Pride is something that can stop us, especially when we're young, from doing some amazing thing. We're so scared of looking stupid!
2) be thankful. Paul writes, 'No matter what happens, always be thankful' (1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLB). Oprah Winfrey suggests, 'Keep a gratitude journal. Every night list five things that happened this day that you are grateful for. It will change your life. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never have enough. If you focus on what you have, you will always see that the universe is abundant and you'll have more.' Selfish people never think they get as much as they deserve. If you're always thinking of things to be thankful for, that kind of pride will go!
3) learn to laugh at yourself. The Chinese proverb says, 'Blessed are they that laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be entertained.' Proud people don't find it easy to laugh at themselves. So today have a little chuckle at your own expense!
