BLOGGER TEAM - EMILY - PRIDE

When I hear the word pride, I instantly think of the infamous phrase ‘swallow your pride!’  That’s something so many of us have heard at some stage in our life, but what does the word pride actually mean?  While there are a variety of in-depth definitions in different dictionaries, there’s one explanation that sums it up perfectly for me: ‘pride is an independent me-orientated spirit.’ 

Let’s be real here, we all struggle with pride at some points in our life.  It’s a universal problem and unfortunately, we live in a generation where pride is admired and glorified.  So many people have the ‘every man for himself’ mentality leading to selfish actions.  And I say this because this used to be me - constantly letting the whole world know that ‘I can do what I want, when I want.’  But I soon realised that pride would only lead to self-destruction, and that’s when I was introduced to humility.

1 Peter 5:6 (NIV): ‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.’

Looking at this from a Biblical perspective, my previous self-absorbed mindset is what keeps many of us, especially young people, from WHOLEHEARTEDLY seeking God.  Evidently, this is where the problem stems from.  Pride becomes a spiritual hindrance that stops us from fulfilling God’s calling for our lives.  But if it is written that we are to put God first in everything we do, why do we let pride get in the way of this?

Matthew 6:33: ‘Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things shall be added unto you’

A great example of this is praise and worship in Church services!  While so many people enjoy singing and glorifying God’s name, others are not a fan of it because they’re ‘too cool for it’ or ‘it’s not their style.’  Even if it isn’t the type of thing you’d normally do, when you’ve been around for a while and have decided you want to be steadfast in your faith, you should avail yourself and have a willing heart to be humbled and do what is necessary.  There are hundreds of similar situations we could compare to this one, but the solution for all of them would remain the same: ‘swallow your pride.’

Be humble and surrender every little aspect of your life unto God.  Here’s a tip that I use whenever I’m battling with my flesh about pride.  I remember these letters: W-W-J-D which stands for ‘What Would Jesus Do?’  We are called to be set apart and CHRIST-LIKE so of course we should do what CHRIST would do.  He would choose humility over pride.

“At EVERY step of our Christian development and in our sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend” – John Stott