Is Pride Hiding in You?

 

Is Pride Hiding in You?

By Liz King

Pride is something every human being deals with.  It was the downfall of Lucifer and the downfall of man.  Every sin is rooted in pride.  God clearly states throughout the Bible he hates pride. He despises the prideful and haughty. Pride is the inward elevation of oneself.  It is someone who is reliant on oneself and resists the submission to God.  In Job 41 pride is linked with the demonic sea monster Leviathan.  Pride is also linked with things we may not consider, like worry, unwillingness to listen to someone’s criticism, the need to be constantly affirmed or recognized, thinking you are right and others are wrong, lack of self-worth, arrogance, and fear.

Many people, if you asked if they were prideful, would immediately respond, “I’m not prideful!” That is an immediate sign of pride.  Many do not consider themselves to be prideful, while others parade around with pride as a banner and their heads held high. God says destruction comes after pride -Proverbs 16:18 so wouldn't we want to avoid pride?   What is the opposite of pride?  It is humility.  Humility takes that question and makes you examine your heart to let God reveal your hidden pride.  Why is dealing with pride so important?  Pride separates us from God and prevents us from hearing and accepting the will and correction of God. Pride prevents us from knowing Who we really are, especially in God.  It prevents us from loving others as God does and prevents us from experiencing true freedom and healing.

Pride is easily offended.  Pride makes you want to fight and prove yourself. It demands you to stay as you are.  God offends our sin because he exposes it and convicts us of the things separating us from him.  Pride causes us to harden our hearts; it closes our spiritual eyes and ears to anything God would want to say or show us.  Pride makes us seek self-preservation in our sin.  Pride makes us say God is not enough.  Pride doesn't want us to change, it wants us to stay right where we are, stuck and unusable, lost.  

Pride makes us think we are more than we are and also makes us feel less than we are because pride puts you in the forefront and in control.  A life of humility means a life of surrender and submission to God and letting him be in the forefront.  Humility also causes us to listen when God confronts us on failures or faults, we feel that are not there, because they are hidden.  The Bible says our hearts are wicked; our heart is deceitful above all things.  God is the one who examines our hearts and reveals what is hidden. -Jeremiah 17:9   So if God is the only one who knows our true heart why do we not entrust him with it to reveal what is hidden and what we do not see.  He’s the one who created us after all, not us.  Shouldn’t we trust that He knows what is best and listen to him when he exposes what is hidden?

We are not the ones who set the standard for our living and we are not the ones who set the standards of our own heart, God is.  We must be willing to surrender and examine where our beliefs and pride are hidden and how it conflicts with the truth of God and who he is.  We need to begin walking in humility so God can reveal where pride is hiding in our lives so we can repent and surrender it to him.  That means surrendering control of your life, thoughts, and actions to the will and authority of God.  it means willing to listen to his correction and revelation of our heart.  It means asking God to reveal your heart and asking him what needs to be changed.  It means not hardening your heart when he sends corrections and exposes the lies you have believed. It means realizing you are not always right, but Jesus always is.  It means being still and letting God examine you. It means putting God alone on the altar of your heart and giving that place to nothing and no one else.  It means getting alone with him and in His word so he can reveal what is hidden.

God has revealed hidden pride in me recently, sometimes it's hard to believe how much pride can be hidden in things you never imagined would be linked with pride.  The bible says he is close to those who have a humble heart, and he listens to their prayers, but he knows those with a prideful, haughty heart from afar -Psalm 138:6.  Don’t you want that closeness with God and him to be attentive to you? If you're a parent and you have an obstinate and defiant child, it is hard to get across to them what you are trying to teach them.  They won’t listen, but when a child listens intently to the parent they are able to receive and understand the lessons that you are trying to teach them.  It’s the same way with God. God can't use someone with a prideful heart. A prideful heart leads us and others around us to destruction.  Don't be held back by hidden pride. Be willing to listen to Him.   Ask God to reveal the true state of your heart, to reveal what is hidden, and if God gives you correction, listen to him.  It can lead to good things, and it will also bring life to you and those around you.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, to prosper you and not to harm you.”- Jeremiah 29:11