So, do you struggle with pride? I do. Have you accomplished things in your life that make you proud? I have. What is so damaging about pride? What is it about pride that makes it destructive? Why is it that we take credit for God’s blessings in our life instead of giving God the glory for the things we have accomplished? Let me share with you what I learned about pride and how it destroys hope.
The Bible teaches a lot about pride. I am going to let God’s word do most of the talking here. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” (ESV) “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” Proverbs 8:13 (ESV) “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18. (ESV) “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5 (ESV) “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” Psalms 10:4 (ESV) I could keep adding more verses about pride but trust me I have not found one verse in the Bible where pride is a positive attribute.
As we finish up what the world proclaims to be “Pride” Month I look at what the Bible says about pride and wonder why we would celebrate it. Satan has done a great job of deceiving people just like he deceived Adam and Eve in the garden. He is continuing to deceive of the world into being captive to do his will. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Satan has tricked the world, and convinced them to mock God. He took what is offensive to God and twisted it into natural behavior. He has glorified what God hates, pride, and used it to promote unrighteous behavior. The only true outcome for all of this is one of two things. Galatians 6:7-8 gives the world these two options, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (ESV) In the end, we will get whatever we deserve. What I sow is my choice and I will reap corruption or eternal life. I know my choice is eternal life. I hope it is yours as well.
The Bible teaches the importance of how God responds to pride. “But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (ESV) I find this verse very helpful because it not only shows me God’s attitude toward the proud, He opposes them, but it gives the solution to pride as well. The solution to my prideful attitude is to humbly accept God’s grace.
I have found that pride destroys hope because when I put myself above everyone else including God, I can become arrogant. I stop looking for solutions from God because I became my own god. This is why I think that pride destroys hope. The only solution to pride is to humble myself before God and submit to His will for my life. I can do this because I have trusted in Jesus’ death and resurrection and accepted God’s free gift grace, mercy, forgiveness and eternal life. You too can have this, learn how.
I pray you put away pride and replace it with God’s grace in your life. I hope that you will stop taking credit for things you accomplish but rather turn your accomplishments into the opportunities to give God the glory. Then, you will live with hope. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
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