How Can I Overcome Pride?

Do you struggle with pride? I do. It can be a war zone in my mind. Sometimes it feels like playing ping-pong by myself. I smack my prideful thoughts and they bounce right back. So, what is pride and what can you do about it? Why is this sin dangerous if left unchecked? Keep reading to learn the origin and evidence of pride and ways to overcome it.

Self is the most treacherous enemy, and the most insinuating deceiver in the world. Of all other vices, it is both the hardest to find out, and the hardest to cure. Richard Baxter

In the beginning...

Pride began with Satan and his desire to be like God. The prophet, Isaiah, explained in chapter 14:13-14 (ESV), "You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Satan wanted what God had.

Did you know that Satan used to be a cherub? Not just any cherub, God made him perfect and beautiful. Read the description in Ez 28:12-17 (NKJV),

...You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground."

Having failed at his attempt to be like God, Satan attacked God's creation; Adam and Eve. How did he manage to trick Eve? He suggested she could be like God. All she had to do was eat the fruit from the tree that God had told Adam not to eat.

While in the Garden of

Eden, in Genesis 3:4-5, we read, "But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" The temptation to be like God was too great for Eve. She believed the lie that she would not die, but although she didn't physically die, her spiritual connection with God did. Sadly, her and Adam were banished from the beautiful place where they communed with God (Gn 3:23, ESV). Satan ruined it for Adam, Eve and their offspring, but he wasn't finished.

Tempting Jesus was Satan's largest target. If he could convince Jesus to worship him, he would succeed in his quest to become like God. In Mt 4:1-11 (ESV) we read that Satan tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness after Jesus had fasted for forty days and nights. When the first two temptations didn't work, Satan took Jesus, "to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Mt 4:8)." Satan offered these to Jesus in return for his worship, but Jesus rebuked him and quoted scripture, "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve (Mt 4:10).

Before we begin taking a closer look at pride, I want you to understand that being proud is different from being accepted, loved and cherished by God. You ARE the apple of God's eye. He immensely loves you and yearns for a close relationship with you. God wants you to know that He designed you, that He has a purpose for you and you are His beloved. Knowing your value to God is not pride.

Heading #1: What is Pride?

Heading #2: Evidence of Pride

Heading #3: Ways to Practice Humility

Heading #1: What is Pride?

Satan wasn't content with how God had made him; full of wisdom and beauty, an anointed, guardian cherub. Wanting more, he sinned. The name of his sin is pride. According to the Strong's Concordance, pride is arrogance. Arrogance, defined by Cambridge Dictionary, is behavior that shows you believe you are better than other people. Let's review a story in the Bible to understand what pride can look like.

In the book of Esther, about one hundred years after the Babylon exile, we read about an important man whose pride led to his death. It took place in the Persian city of Susa during the reign of King Ahasuerus. When the King's wife, Queen Vashti, refused to be presented to the King upon summoning, she was banned and dethroned. A search for a new Queen ensued, resulting in the unlikely event of Esther, a Jewess, being chosen.

Esther had been adopted and raised by her relative, Mordecai. Each day, Mordecai sat at the King's gate. During this time, he overheard two of the King's eunuchs plot to kill the King and informed Esther, who told the King. This account was then recorded in the book of the chronicles. Around the same time, a man named Haman was promoted above all the other officials. Due to his new status, everyone bowed down to him. Everyone except Mordecai, because he was a Jew. Upon learning of this, Haman was outraged and sought to get rid of all the Jews. He eventually convinced the King, who gave his permission.

All the Jews mourned and fasted upon learning of this death sentence. When Queen Esther heard of the decree she courageously approached the King's throne and requested his and Haman's presence at her private feast. After promising to return the next day for another feast, Haman became enraged when he walked by Mordecai. At home, Haman bragged about his accomplishments to his wife and friends and then complained about Mordecai. They convinced Haman to build a gallows and ask the King to hang Mordecai the next day.

That very night, however, the King couldn't sleep and had the book of chronicles read to him. After learning that Mordecai had not been rewarded for saving the King's life, the King requested whoever was in the court to come to him. Haman, who had just entered the court to request Mordecai's death, was ushered in. When the King asked what could be done to honor someone, Haman incorrectly assumed the King wanted to honor himself. Haman described a lavish display of being robed and paraded through town, to which the King agreed. Horrified to learn the truth, Haman had to parade Mordecai around, proclaiming the King's honor.

After this humiliation, Haman was summoned to Queen Esther's second feast. The King told the Queen he would grant any request from her. Queen Esther asked that her life be spared as well as her people. When the King learned of Haman's connection to the genocide of the Queen and her people, he had Haman hung from the very same gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai.

Pride can be seen a number of times in Haman. Haman boasted of his greatness after being promoted. When Mordecai wouldn't bow to him, Haman was outraged. Haman plotted to have Mordecai and all his people killed. Boasting, rage and a murderous heart can all be signs of pride.

Heading #2: Evidence of Pride

What rotten fruit is your tree bearing? There is a deception about pride (Obadiah 1:3). Its cloak is translucent. Pride is the hardest sin for one to detect.

Below are some signs that you may be struggling with the sin of pride. The Bible tells us to examine ourselves (Rom 12:3). Do any of these resemble you in any way? I encourage you to pray right now and ask God to reveal the truth to you. God brought many of my own failings to mind as I wrote these and I needed to ask for His forgiveness.

Slander/Gossip - God takes this seriously. He abhors anyone who speaks negatively about anyone else (Ps 101:5). When we talk about someone else, we think we are better than them.
Argumentative - People argue because they want to be right. It's a slippery slope to be caught up in an argument (Prv 13:10). I used to validate my arguing by hiding behind the notion that I just wanted my voice heard, but I recognize that I didn't exercise listening.
Impatient - Remember Saul and his refusal to wait for Samuel to arrive before battle to offer the burnt offering? Saul's impatience brought about his eventual demise (1 Sm 13:10). Patience is one of the virtues I am constantly working on.
Judging others - How many specks have you tried to point out without seeing the log in your own eye (Mt 7:3-5)? This often happens between a parent and a child who bears similar traits or the annoyances between friends.
Criticism - Criticism is a harsh judgment of someone or something and Jesus tells us not to do it (Lk 6:37). When we criticize we are elevating ourselves above that person.
Comparing - Comparing yourself to someone else can lead to self-pity or jealousy. Whenever I find myself comparing, I always feel 'less-than.' Paul advises against it in 2 Cor 10:12. God has created each one of us unique and we need to focus on the qualities and skills He has blessed us with. Be the person God created you to be - be you!
Jealousy - Joseph's brothers were so jealous of him that they plotted to kill him (Gn 37:2-35). I grew up with siblings and I recall vying for my parents' attention. It left me feeling ugly, never leading to the love and stability I was seeking.
Desiring a position of authority - Whenever we want a higher position for the sake of having people look up to us, our motives are all wrong. God will elevate us when we exhibit true humility (Lk 14:11).
Bragging about your accomplishments or possessions - Have you ever heard of the tall poppy syndrome? In Australia and New Zealand, if someone thinks too highly of themselves, others are quick to scrutinize them in order to cut down the tall poppy (Mt 23:4-7). In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Paul explained that someone plants the seed, someone else waters it, but God makes it grow. We are merely part of someone's story.
Independent - This one may seem odd, but when we are independent, we are telling God that we don't need Him and that we can do it on our own. In fact, we prefer to do it on our own and not have to listen to God's advice, or have to surrender to what He asks of us. When I look back on my life, I see that I'm guilty of this. As a single mother, I felt like I was forced into this role of independence, but upon reflection, I realized I never asked for help. I suffered in silence, not even recognizing it as pride.
Make fun of others - Besides being cruel, this is definitely a fruit of pride. When we make fun of others, we think we are better than they are (Proverbs 11:12).

Heading #3: Ways to Practice Humility

Pride ruins relationships, destroys churches, causes wars and leads to death. It's essential to be aware of this sin so we can self-examine ourselves (Romans 12:3) and seek forgiveness to resume a personal, loving relationship with others and God.

Who comes to mind when you think of a humble person? Mother Teresa? Gandhi? Corrie Ten Boom? All three lived incredibly honorable lives. I often wonder how they did it. I may not be able to answer that question, but I can see through their selfless acts how I can become a better person. God loves humbleness (Jas 4:6) and I'm living for God so I want to live with a humble heart.

Derek Prince wrote, "The only remedy for pride is to humble ourselves." So, what does humbleness look like? One beautiful example can be found in John 13:1-17 when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. Jesus humbled himself. He showed his disciples how to serve one another, teaching them that no one is greater and what humility looks like.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Ways to Practice Humility:

Obey - Obeying God is an important way to practice humility. It tells God that you are believing that He knows best for your life and you are willing to lay down your selfish desires.
Self examination - We can all use improvement. To think we are perfect and beyond needing change is laughable. If you're not sure how you can improve, you can always ask your spouse or good friend, but be ready for their response.
Look for ways to serve, first God, then one another - This one is my favorite. When I ask God to show me how I can bless someone, the focus is off of myself. Do this blessing in private and anonymously, lest you're tempted to brag. You and your Heavenly Father can relish in the good deed.
Pray - Praying for yourself to be humble is wise and a good place to start, but praying for others is a great way to act unselfishly. Maybe this is why God tells us to bless those that curse us.
Worship - When we worship we give God our undivided attention. We elevate Him to the status that is rightfully His - the sole recipient of our praise.
Put others' needs above your own. Do you remember the book, The Prayer of Jabez, by Bruce H. Wilkinson? In his book, Wilkinson encourages the reader to say this prayer everyday. I tried it out and saw a difference. In a similar way, I've been looking for ways, daily, to unselfishly bless someone. This helps to take the focus off of myself and place it where God wants it; on others.
Be teachable - Having a desire to learn how to improve oneself automatically puts you in a humble position.
Recognize and acknowledge the strength of others - Finding the good in others and championing their gifts turns the focus away from yourself.
Listen well - Being attentive tells the other person that they are important, valued and worth your time.

Remember the story of Mordecai? Mordecai didn't boast of his good works when he saved the King. He didn't demand any recognition for what he had done. Mordecai remained humble. God elevated Mordecai when the time was right. The Jewish people were saved and Mordecai was honored and celebrated for years to come because of his humility.