PRIDE

Who's guilty ? I am.

Who's repented ? Always.

How do you deal with it in day to day life ? I try to pretend it's not happening.

How does God deal with you in your pride ? Knocks me flat on my face right when I get to the peak, each time. I repent, try again, but in my ignorance do it again, even though each time I get knocked down it's even more painful than the last.
Humans...do they ever learn?
Chrys

 

Never knew this tread existed till I read about it elsewhere. I'd like to bring it back to the top because I do have a problem with being to proud about all the wrong things, not giving the credit to God when I should, and basicly struggling with this very normal human emotion that when left unchecked can cause great misery. Is it ever good to have pride (in your work, family, acheivements)? Have you ever been "proud" to tell someone you are a Christian? How much has pride been a factor in the way you respond on the Baptist Board? I hope to have some comments back on this. Thanks for starting it Mr. Curtis.

 

I think there is a difference between being Proud or having Pride and "being Prideful." I think the sin of pride is when one starts to see something that is not really there. It's that small difference between saying to yourself. I'm really great at doing X, and saying "See everyone, I'm better than others at doing X."
It is a false sense of accomplishment you show others for the purpose of raising your ego. It tends to put others down while propping you up.

I think it is good to have pride in your work, but not be prideful about your work.

I, like many others, suffers from both. After all, I'm really good at my work, ok, the best in the country at what I do. And proud of it.

Now is that being prideful or having pride in what I do?

Now I think, I'm talking too much about me, does that mean I'm selfish too?

Our body's sins, but our hearts are clean.

 

There is a beautiful young woman (the love of my life) who has a way of bringing me down to earth without it hurting too much.

A quiet nagging in the heart that doesn't quit until I turn over my attitude to God.

 

[ September 11, 2002, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Grammy1013 ]

 

Although I dont agree with about 80% of what CS Lewis writes, in his book "Mere Christianity" he has a whole chapter on pride and he pretty well hits the nail om the head.

 

I think this is a fairly good outlook, especially to use your talent to the glory of God.

IMHO pride is always wrong. I think that there are several references in Scripture to show that it is wrong to be at all prideful about anything. Sometimes people feel pride for their children, work, country, home, spouse, and even that they are a Christian. I don't think there is a reason to be prideful about any of these things. It is God who allowed us to have Children, and gave them their talents. It was God who gave us our jobs. He gave us the talent, brain, and ability to do our job. It was God who allowed us to be born in our country, gave us our spouse and God is the one who regenerated us. Not that I personally don't struggle with pride in these areas, because I do. I think I have the hardest time with pride in my employment, because I generally am more learned, and understand things better than the average person. (I say that to the glory of God) And when I see someone who is less learned do "better" than me that pride shows through. That is an area of my life I struggle with because I am too competitive in nature, when it comes to my work.

I think there is a difference between being prideful, and simply not being ashamed. We should not swell up with pride with our so called achievements, but simply accept them as they are and not be ashamed. Likewise I am certainly not ashamed to be an American, or to be a Christian. But we should not swell with pride because of it.

Peter and James said:
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. And Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

I suppose this is better than God having to humble us!

 

it tends to whisper in my ear from time to time. . .

I've also learned the more I might accomplish (all under God's blessing, and with God's help and strength), the greater the danger of pride when you take that moment to look back over the path you've taken.

At those times, Holy Spirit tends to remind me of Nebachadnezzar ([sp?!]off the top of my head so please forgive the attempt) and his time living as a wild animal. I hear that tiny little "munchkin-voice" inside which is me saying: " . . .I built this. . . " and that always brings me back down to earth.

Brett

[ September 13, 2002, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: Brett Valentine ]

 

Uh, I am....I enjoy success as a teacher, and I constantly have to be reminded that the gift belongs to God.

I do, often

I stop and pray and give thanks

Baptist Believer said it best:

Things will tend to start unravelling a bit until I stop coasting on my own ego and start giving thanks to God again.

 

I am, of both pride and its opposite, a prevailing
feeling of inadequacy (not humility) both equally
destructive. The first says, "I am all-sufficient,"
the latter says, "I can never be good enough."

Time and time again.

Prayer, Bible study, legitimate compensation.

Tthe Scriptures. Music often brings me back to
reality. And sometimes, our God uses people.

 

I am. I have a tendency to be really self absorbed, tamed by my awesome tendency to really love and care and try to help others OOPS I DID IT AGAIN!

Yes, I've repented.

How do I deal with it in everyday life? I have to remind myself often that my sins are no better than other people's, that all of them are an assault on the gift of grace we've been given. It's very hard not to point and say, but, but, but, HE or SHE is doing ________, and that's just something *I'd* never think about doing!
It doesn't make me any better, it just makes me commiting a different sin than them.

How does God deal with me. HMMM. It seems like when I get in a holier-than-thou mood I'll open my bible and be reminded of who I am and where I've been, or I simply fall. When you get prideful you let your guard down and think nothing can touch you and you have such self control, so when something comes along to tempt you it takes you by suprise and knocks you on your face.

Gina

 

By the way Mr. Curtis, about your pic. You look so...clean!
"And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean."

Who typed that? Wasn't Gina..

 

Thank you kindly Gina... Brother Glen(A member of the chrome dome brotherhood) ... "Look at all the BALD SMILIES"!

 

Bald smilies? Naw..they're all just having bad hair days and hiding it.
Gina

 

Romans 7: 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Do you feel that we all have felt like the Apostle Paul at times in his letter to the Roman brethren? The two fold man carnal and spititual in warfare. Before you are born again is there a battle or are we the children of wrath even as others? How are you faring in your spiritual warfare as the Devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour? Pride is only one of the many faults we are guilty of... Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall... Brother Glen