How Do You Overcome Pride?

Pride can be an insidious self-deception that keeps us from accepting truths in our lives. It can not only rob us of our ability to make wise decisions, but it can also hinder spiritual growth and a loving relationship with God.

Let’s explore different ways we can overcome our pride according to biblical principles. From granting permission to others to point out prideful tendencies to meditating upon verses that focus on humility, there are practical methods available for anyone willing to learn more about themselves. Are you ready to break free from the vice of pride? Let’s dive into learning how you can overcome!

The Root of Pride

Pride can have a variety of roots, from seeking approval and recognition to covering up insecurities. It’s important to recognize its various faces since pride is confronted throughout Scripture—notably when God confronts Satan’s ambition and desire for glory in Isaiah 14:12-15.

As Christians, we must strive to remember that pride goes against the humility Jesus modeled for us during His ministry on earth, which began with His baptism by John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:13-17).

Where does pride come from?

Pride is a spiritual problem that has been the downfall of many individuals, groups, and civilizations throughout history. The Bible speaks clearly against proud attitudes: Proverbs 16:18 says “pride goes before destruction,” while God Himself says, “everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to me” (Proverbs 16:5-9).

Pride originates from deep feelings of insecurity, fear, and unworthiness. It can stem from feelings of entitlement or ingratitude, thoughts that we are better than others, and other negative feelings. We may also be having difficulty recognizing how much we depend on God’s grace.

In order for us to overcome pride, we must recognize it as an issue worthy of our attention and ask for help from above. Scripture shows that Jesus Himself was baptized by John the Baptist despite being sinless. This reminds Christians that humility should take precedence over any glory attributed to us alone.

What does God think about pride?

The Bible paints a clear picture of God’s view on pride: It is considered a grievous sin and is detestable in His sight. In the Book of Proverbs (NIV), Solomon writes, “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor” (Proverbs 29:23). This verse serves as reminder that one should strive for humility rather than pride.

The New Testament further warns us about the dangers of pride by citing its many manifestations: arrogance, haughtiness, envy, and selfishness, amongst others. All these negative behaviors that can arise from excessive pride are seen as antithetical to what God desires from His people: love and goodness toward both God and our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-40).

Furthermore, when we find ourselves boasting excessively or exalting our strengths before others without recognition of their efforts or accomplishments, we must think twice about why we are doing so. It may be an indication of a spirit of pride deep inside that needs to be checked quickly before more harm is done not only to others but also to ourselves. To overcome this kind of destructive behavior pattern, Christians should give permission to those around them to lovingly point out instances where they may inadvertently exemplify prideful traits, such as boastfulness or overly high expectations toward oneself and/or others with no room left for grace or error.

Strategies for Overcoming Pride

Adopting humility is the key to overcoming pride, and there are several strategies we can use as believers to help us on our journey. The first step is to identify when pride appears in our lives—the Bible could be a great starting point for this. Then, by allowing others insight into our thoughts and seeking God’s guidance, we can start making progress toward defeating pride.

Giving Permission to Others to Point out Pride

By allowing others to speak about our pride, we give ourselves the necessary tools and insight for self-awareness and humility. It can be hard to recognize when we’re in the wrong because pride is an incredibly deceiving force that hinders us from fully examining our own mistakes.

When we seek feedback from those around us, we empower them to point out any areas of pride. Their honesty will lead us to a righteous path. However, as you seek this kind of help, make sure it comes from a godly source. Remember what God thinks about being proud (Proverbs 16:18) and that He offers wisdom on this particular matter.

Allowing other Christians around us to comment on our behavior ensures there will never be bias or incorrect judgment. After all, keeping away from selfish ambition and conceit is always encouraged within the faith (Philippians 2:3).

Finding a balance between validating your feelings and critically analyzing your motivations can be tricky. It requires a lot of open dialogue through prayer and constant reflection to ensure that pride does not creep up on you unnoticed.

Focusing on God

Shifting your focus from yourself to God is a powerful way of counteracting prideful tendencies. In the book of Proverbs, it says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV).

As we submit ourselves fully to God’s will for our lives, our focus moves away from what we think can bring us pride or satisfaction, such as unlimited success or attention. Instead, we recognize that everything comes from Him.

As we learn more about His nature through Bible study and prayer, we cultivate deep humility. Practically speaking, that could mean humbly praying every day before God and asking for help with overcoming any comparative attitudes or sneaky snippets of vanity.

It also means allowing others in accountability circles to provide helpful feedback when inexcusable pride appears. Then, we can make better choices next time around.

Praying and Seeking Humility

Prayer is an essential part of recognizing and addressing pride. When we open ourselves to God, asking Him to reveal areas in which our pride has taken root, humility can often be found growing in its place.

Praying with a humble heart and earnestly seeking humility before the Lord is critical for overcoming pride as it allows us to acknowledge our own fallibility and commit our lives into His loving hands.

Following this practice reinforces the fact that no matter how great or successful one might believe themselves to be, true strength only comes from relying on God’s grace. As James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Make time each day for prayer-filled conversations with God while humbly admitting mistakes and shortcomings. It will help you mature spiritually and incline you toward humble service and away from selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3).

Conclusion

The journey to overcoming pride requires a mindset shift and dedication to prayer. It involves an open-minded approach focused on nurturing humility instead of superiority and allowing others into your life who can hold you accountable.

Praying for God’s guidance is the true way to incorporate strategies like allowing others to hold you accountable or focusing more on Jesus rather than yourself. Once these obstacles are conquered, humility will come naturally.

Jesus offers all Christians advice on how to overcome pride in His Word. When we find relevant verses in the Bible and ground our thoughts around them, it can be easier to break from this unhelpful sense of superiority over others. Filling ourselves with God’s teachings then leads us down a path free from sin, including pride, which brings us closer to Him each day.

FAQs

1. Why is pride a problem?

Pride can be considered an egocentric frame of mind that is characterized by feelings of superiority and arrogance. It leads to unhealthy traits such as conceit, envy, entitlement, judgmental behavior, and controlling attitudes.

2. What strategies can people use to overcome pride issues? 

Building emotional awareness by taking a self-inventory helps us understand whether our actions or thoughts have been fueled by ego rather than genuine kindness or ethical consideration toward others. Developing respect for other perspectives through active listening aids internal progress.