Ok, I’m going to go ahead and say it – I struggle with pride. And I’m not proud of it! But to be honest, I think we all struggle with pride in some form. Pride can be deceptive, so we may not even be aware of it.
Here are some ways pride deceives us:
1. Pride deceives us into believing we’re self-sufficient.
When things are going great in life, we can develop the attitude of, I don’t need God’s help right now. I’ve got things under control. I can handle this on my own.
Warning signs:
- Less time spent with God: When I’m feeling self-sufficient, I don’t feel a need to turn to God for help.
- A lack of thankfulness: When things are going great, I can forget that He is the Giver of all good things and wrongly think I’m the source of these blessings. As a result, I stop giving thanks to Him.
2. Pride deceives us into believing we’re in control.
We like to think we’re in control of our circumstances, and we like being in control, but God often has to remind us that He is the One ultimately in control.
Warning sign: Trusting myself more than I trust God
How do you handle a situation that is not going as you had hoped or planned? Do you try to fix it yourself, or do you look to God and trust His sovereign hand in it?
3. Pride deceives us into believing we’re better than others.
We’re often deceived into believing we’re more gifted or more talented than someone else, we dress better, we have a nicer house, a better husband, more money, or we’ve done something to bring on our good fortune.
Warning sign: Looking down on others and building ourselves up in comparison, seeing ourselves as better than others
4. Pride deceives us into believing we are the source of our blessings (not God).
We sometimes forget that God is the source of our blessings, and we attribute things as coming from ourselves instead. We may believe that we’re where we are because of what we’ve done, not because of God’s hand in it.
Warning sign: When my words revolve around Me, Me, Me. Look at what I’ve done. Look at who I am.
Do we thank God for all we have and what we’ve been able to do, or do we pat ourselves on the back? Do we want the glory and adoration of others, or do we sincerely want to give God the glory?
Charles Spurgeon gave some great advice on how to fend off pride before it hits us. “Wash your face every morning in a bath of praise.” When we praise God, it takes our attention off ourselves and puts it where it needs to be, on Him. Pride can deceive us, but praise can protect us from the deception of pride.
What warning signs would you add to recognizing the deception of pride?
Outstanding blog post. I struggle with pride also. I would add-Worrying about what others think. If our child blows it are we more worried about what people think of us as a parent or are we more worried about our child’s welfare. I have fallen into that trap. It is an evil mindset. Thanks for the reminder.
Oh, I so agree with you about worrying about what others think. I want to please everyone, and am over-concerned at times about what they’re thinking. Thanks for sharing!
Sad, but so true, Crickett! I admit it, too. I think if we’re honest, we would all have to admit to it. That means we must constantly be on guard against the whispers of how great we are…because we know exactly where those whispers come from. 🙁 See you soon, sweet friend!
Vonda, how true about the whispers from the enemy! I definitely need to stay on guard. Can’t wait to see you this afternoon!
This morning the Lord took me to a verse on humility and now I read your post on pride. I need to go to Him in prayer and allow Him to search my heart for seeds of pride. Thank you for confirming God’s message to me. Crickett!
Sherry, God is constantly pointing out subtle areas of pride in my life – ouch! Thanks for stopping by. I read your bio and wow, what a journey God has taken you on. Praying for you
Great thoughts. I would add thinking the rules don’t apply to me. I guess that’s tied in to thinking we’re better than other people, but when we think we’re above the rules it’s a big warning sign that pride is rearing it’s head.
Leigh, that’s a great warning sign! You’re right, when we think the rules don’t apply to us, that’s a pretty clear sign we think we’re above the rules and everyone else. Thanks for sharing!
I think these warning signs are good to remember! Another could be refusing other people’s help. We need help from God and others, but if we’re proud, we can become self-reliant.
Katy, I’m guilty of this warning sign. Sometimes it’s hard for me to ask others for help – a good reminder that perhaps that’s stemming from pride. Thanks for sharing this!
Great job with this topic we ALL battle with – whether we want to admit it or not. I love that you not only nail what pride is, but give the warning signs. If we are alert to the signs, we won’t run off the road. Love the Spurgeon quote as well! There’s no room for pride in a heart filled with praise.
Thanks, Melanie, for stopping by and sharing. And yes, I think if we’re all honest, we struggle with pride in some form. God is definitely showing it to me in my own life. Trying to “bathe my face in praise” everyday!