Theologians, and indeed many psychologists, will tell you Pride is one of the most destructive characteristics of our human nature.
Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
For in pride there is ruin and great confusion. (Tobit 4:13)
Pride can literally lead to our confusion, ruin and destruction.
The nature of pride is that it leads many to operate as though they do not need God’s input in their lives, and that He will not hold them accountable for their actions. Or even worse, some come ultimately to believe God does not even exist.
In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek Him (God); all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (Psalm 10:4)
And just as dangerous, in failing to acknowledge pride, many place themselves outside of God’s blessings, and their prayers are no longer answered.
They cry out, but He (God) does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. (Job 35:12)
Not a very uplifting theme, but unfortunately, it does not end there.
In the time of Solomon, we see pride not only causing the ruin of individuals but also of nations. Israel became proud and forgot God. Ultimately, it was the sin of pride that caused the people of Israel and Judah to be cut off from the promised land of Canaan (Isaiah 3:16; Ezekiel 16:50; Hosea 13:6; Zephaniah 3:11). James 4:6 makes clear that God opposes the proud but shows grace to the humble.
This being the case, we should do all we can to overcome pride in our lives. This is part of the practice of growing in virtue, and the virtue that most aggressively counters pride is humility.
We can practice humility, ad we should. We can pray for the virtue of humility, and we should. But in order to weed out pride, it is not enough for us to merely live humbly. When we pray for God to assist us in this particular virtue, if we are genuine in our desire for it, God will often apply strong medicine.
The roots of pride run very deep; pride is so subtle, so insidious that it is not irradicated by anything other than radical intervention. This is what is required for us to gain victory over so dangerous a vice.
The first area where we defeat pride is in giving our will over to God - in all things. This is what Christ meant when he told the rich young man to give away all he had and to follow Him
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)
If all we have to do to gain heaven is give away our possessions, that would make the price of heave rather cheap, wouldn’t it?
The only thing each of us truly possesses is our will. The key phrase in this verse is when Jesus says, “follow me.” When we choose to give our entire life, meaning our will, over to Christ, to allow Him to be the master of everything in our life, then we will have given away all we truly possess.
The second area where we must defeat pride is even more challenging then the first, and few souls are willing to go this far.
It is when we experience some great trial in our life which we did not expect.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
Or perhaps, we may even experience something we might have prayed to God to allow us to avoid, circumstances that might lead us to believe God has abandoned us.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Of course, God never abandons us, anymore than he abandoned His Son on the cross. But there are times when we experience trials that might so overwhelm us that we cannot reconcile them with what we believe we know about God.
It is then the subtle voice of pride will resurface. And even though we might not utter the words, our thoughts will expose us and reveal our interior state of mind. “God, how could you allow this to happen to me.”
In these times, we face the great trial of a sense of abandonment, and it is in this arena where pride dies. That is, if we have desired and sought the grace to respond with,
Not my will but yours be done. (Luke 22:42b)
Let us pray this week that we might all desire to enter the arena where pride will one and for all find its end in us.
Let us all pray in a special way for our country in these days when the arrogance of pride, found in so many facets of our life, is doing so much damage to our nation.
Copyright © 2024, Deacon Mark Danis
Image credit: “Christ and the Rich Young Ruler,” Heinrich Hofman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons