Pride is a heart-attitude sin that overflows into a person’s motivation, decision-making, and activities. Pride is at the root of nearly every problem we struggle with in counseling!
You are reading the second part of a two-part series on the prideful heart by biblical counselor Julie Ganschow, the founder and director of Reigning Grace Counseling Center in Kansas City, MO. Read part one here.
What Cures the Prideful Heart?
First, begin by confessing, or admitting, to God that you struggle with the sin of pride. Confession is agreeing with God. You might pray a simple prayer similar to this one:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I confess to you that I struggle with the sin of pride in my heart and my life. This pride leads me to act out selfish desires and is hurtful to other people. I ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to change my heart so that I become selfless and learn to serve others as I consider them before myself. Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine through the Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray these things for Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.
The next step is to begin to practice humility, a denial of self. Humility is considering others better than yourself and requires an examination through the Word of God of the actions and attitudes of daily life.
Then He (Jesus) said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for Me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?” Luke 9:23–25 (NLT)
Meek Doesn’t Mean Weak
Jesus displayed the ultimate in humility when He condescended to come to earth as a human being. He denied Himself and deprived Himself of heaven and all its glory for 33 years for you and me. Because our goal is to become like Jesus in character and attitude, we are to practice how Jesus lived His life. Jesus was described as “meek and lowly.” Meekness is an internal quality that comes with humility. As a heart attitude, it is the opposite of pride. The one who is meek in heart is not concerned about self and readily puts the interest of others before his or her interests.
You should be known for the beauty that comes from (the hidden person of the heart), the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 1 Peter 3:4 (NLT)
Being meek does not mean weak; in fact, it means just the opposite. It takes great strength to be humble before God and others. This really goes against the grain of the sinful nature. It is possible, however, for even the most prideful person to become humble. Humility is a fruit of the Spirit, and God joyfully responds to those who desire it.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 (NIV)
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16, NIV
Pride begins to change to humility when we understand how despicable we actually are without Christ. Humility comes when we internalize the truth that nothing in the life of a Christian is to be about us. It is all about Jesus Christ and Him only. We cannot possibly dwell on “what I want” or “what I think is better or right” and be able to serve others or ask what would bring God glory. Heart change begins to take place when we practice the principles in the verse below:
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. Philippians 2:3–4 (NIV)
Serving Suggestions
Here are some suggestions to begin to serve others:
- Do one thing a day for someone you ordinarily would avoid.
- Go out of your way to help another person.
- Give up something you want to do for the sake of another’s pleasure.
- Consider the opinion of a person you think is “beneath you” and follow his or her suggestion.
After practicing these suggestions, you will find joy returning to your life. Your world will open up to others as your heart opens up. As you continue to place others above yourself, your desire to serve them will grow, and life will become full of joy.
15 Comments on “How to Cure the Sin of Pride”
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Thank you … Gods been working on me and I realize that I’ve been prideful and didn’t even know it …. Father forgive me..! But I have a better understanding of what it really is and how to kill it in my live…
I really like your message please keep me posted and also in your prayers
This message came right on time, pure Truth fro God’s Word .It really blessed me and edified me, corrected me end encouraged me.God bless you.More grace!
thank u 4 helping me now i know God will heal my wound, thanks.
This was a blessing to me. Thank you! The Lord showed me I had pride in my heart and I also was unaware. I never wanted to be inconvenienced. Its time to put others before me and put my selfish desires to the side.
Thank you
Much needed Prayer.
Shannon, your comment has broken my heart for you. I don’t know anything about you. I believe the Holy Spirit has told me to pray for you.Trust in God’s thoughts and not our own. Be free in His grace. I too have a sin problem with pride.I thank God I found this site. God bless you.
Thank you for sharing what was placed on your heart Ona. I never knew just how precious it is for someone to tell you they are praying for you. I will be praying for you also.
My husband always and friends say l had to much pride but only if they knew l never was not to proud to say I’m sorry for the way l respond to thing when it’s not my way God has open my eye now I’m asking to become a better person in what ever situation lm facing l won’t to please God only not myself
I was a stutterer as a child; molested by my father, my mother allowed it, because she was afraid, lived in constant fear, and my piano playing was my first and only refuge. We were raised in the church. I finally overcame stuttering, went to college on a free rehabilitation scholarship sponsored by the state, and taught music in the public schools for 36 years. I am not sure if I’m prideful, but maybe I am. Is my pride my way of saying “look at me, I’m here, see me, I count?
Great teaching! Pride has a suble way of getting into one’s heart. I struggle with this and i want it to leave. Please pray for me. Trying out the humility portion.
Julie, I was wondering if you might consider writing about shame and how it relates to pride. It almost seems as if shame is a form of inverse pride and it can be a stubborn sinkhole to get out of . Most things that cause shame are so darn painful and awful to have gone through and often aren’t our fault and yet we wind up saddled with pernicious defense mechanisms that effectively keep us locked out of fellowship with God. I have found for me that what further complicates it is that our issues don’t exist as separate entities with clearly defined boundaries if you know what I mean. They are usually linked to a bunch of stuff- situational, persons involved, trauma, and whatever beliefs and reactions were formed out of that and mashed altogether.
Untangling them can be frustrating and feel like trying to move an impossible mountain one teaspoonful at a time – and after years of this, the mountain can seem rather undiminished. Sometimes its like defusing a bomb or trying to cut someone out of serious wreckage where parts of them have parts of the wreckage embedded and it must be done so carefully to avoid further hurting them.
I would be very interested to know what you think of the connection between shame and pride
Thank You!