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Idols: Pride

The Throne of Self: Unmasking the Idol of Pride

Idols are not just a wood or stone image

Idols aren’t just statues; they’re anything that takes God’s place as the most important thing in how we see ourselves, what we worship, what we trust, and how we live. As a Christian counselor, I’ve noticed that pride, often quiet but always there, is behind almost every problem people face. It’s not just a bad habit; it’s like worshipping yourself instead of God. The Bible clearly says that someone who is proud is really worshipping themselves.

The Blinding Nature of Pride:

Pride makes us think too highly of ourselves, so we can’t see who we really are. We don’t honestly look at our sins, making them seem small or comparing our flawed “goodness” to other people’s mistakes instead of God’s perfect goodness. This blindness stops us from truly being sorry for our sins and growing spiritually.

Showing Off: Trying to Get Attention:

Another part of pride is being showy, like someone who stretches their neck to get attention for what they think are great achievements and quickly takes all the credit. They forget that God gives us everything good, including our talents. They only care about making themselves look good, hiding the fact that all blessings come from God.

The World’s Message of Loving Yourself:

Our society constantly tells us to have high self-esteem and feel good about ourselves. But the Bible tells us something different: stop focusing on ourselves and what we want. Proverbs 16:18 strongly warns, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a rule from God.

Feeling Sorry for Yourself: Another Side of Pride:

Feeling sorry for yourself, which might seem like the opposite of bragging, is just another way to display the idol of pride. People who are focused on their own failures are still very much thinking about themselves. They constantly think about what they believe they deserve but haven’t gotten. They ignore God’s glory and don’t appreciate the real gifts and abilities they have. Feeling sorry for yourself shows a heart that wants good things for its own benefit, not for God’s sake.

Putting Happiness First:

Basically, pride is based on the idea that life is all about you—your happiness, your successes, and how important you think you are. It’s a deep-down attitude that affects your reasons for doing things, your choices, and what you do every day. In my work as a counselor, pride always turns out to be the reason behind almost every fight, personal problem, and spiritual setback.

How to Get Rid of Self-Worship: Self-Idolatry

Confession:

The first step is to honestly admit to God that you struggle with pride in your heart and life. You need to agree with Him that it’s harmful and humbly ask the Holy Spirit to help you become selfless and truly want to serve others, putting their needs first. You need to accept the forgiveness Jesus Christ offers and try to live only to honor Him.

The Practice of Humility:

The next step is to be intentionally humble, which means putting yourself aside. This involves thinking of others as more important than yourself and constantly checking your actions and attitudes based on the Bible’s words. Jesus’ call in Luke 9:23-25 to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him shows that holding onto yourself will lead to loss, while giving yourself to Him will lead to true life.

True humility grows when we understand that we depend entirely on Christ and are truly broken without Him. It takes root when we truly believe that the Christian life isn’t about what we gain personally but completely about Jesus Christ. Real change of heart begins when we stop focusing on “what I want” and start serving others and trying to bring glory to God. Philippians 2:3-4 gives us a practical way to do this: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Cultivating Humility: It’s Not All Up to Us

Many believe becoming humble is a personal achievement, but the Bible suggests otherwise. True humility isn’t self-initiated but a gift we receive. However, we can create fertile ground for it to grow in our lives. Here are key ways to cultivate a humble spirit:

  • Acknowledge Your Limits: Recognize your flaws and areas where you can improve.
  • Prioritize Others: Value the needs and interests of those around you.
  • Embrace Learning: Be open to new ideas and different viewpoints.
  • Listen Actively: Truly hear what others are saying and make them feel understood.

By focusing on these practices, we position ourselves to receive the gift of humility to address the idol of pride in our lives.

Gentleness: The Inner Result of Humility:

Gentleness, an inner quality that comes from humility, is the direct opposite of pride. A gentle heart doesn’t focus on itself but naturally cares about others. As 1 Peter 3:4 beautifully says, true beauty is found in the hidden person of the heart, in the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious to God.

Gentleness isn’t weakness; it takes great strength to humble yourself before God and others, going against our natural tendency to sin. But even the most prideful person can change. The Holy Spirit produces humility in us, and God gladly helps those who truly want it. Romans 12:3 tells us “not to think of yourself more highly than you ought,” and Romans 12:16 calls us to “…Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

Confessing sins and seeking humility diminishes pride, restores joy, increases care for others, and deepens the desire to serve. Pride blinds us to our own faults while easily spotting them in others. By surrendering your life, God will allow you to be humble and actively serve Him and others. Christ will replace the idol of pride and the worship of self in His rightful place. This is the way to true freedom, real joy, and a life that shows God’s glory.

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