The Forms of Pride: Superiority and Insecurity

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” Proverbs 16:18 NIV

What does the Bible mean when it refers to pride? Pride is a sin that involves the attempt to make the world revolve around oneself, instead of God. The attempt to place yourself and/or your thoughts on a higher pedestal than God’s Word. An attempt to bring glory to yourself rather than giving it to the one who deserves it all: God.

Superiority is a trait that arises from having it all and therefore feeling entitled and above everyone else. But how is this possible when even the closest to Christ is still a sinner? All of us who roam this earth do wrong, we all sin, and we all have flaws. Therefore, we have no right to place ourselves higher than anyone and judge for ourselves. Only God can judge us, and trust us when we say it won’t be based on what car you have or how much money is in your bank account. How about instead of feeling an extreme version of pride, you feel proud in your identity with Christ? Shout to the world how much you love God and give Him all the credit that He deserves. Appreciate all the amazing things the Lord has placed in your life, and honor Him, not yourself. Stay humble, and do not get caught up with the ways of the world. Materialistic and worldly things often alter our minds and stray us away from God, causing us to grow greedy and needing that feeling of superiority. But with God, these thoughts are shunned, and we are humbled before the Lord, only desiring to bring others above with you.

When we think of pride, we associate it with being too proud and loud about ourselves and our accomplishments. So how could being insecure, which is quite the opposite of such boldness, be a form of pride? When we develop an insecurity, that means there is a part of us that is not secure with what God has said and done. We determine our worth based on the values of the world, not the Word. In a lot of cases, insecurity leads us to desperately seek approval and validation elsewhere, so we act out. We try to disguise our insecurity as a boastful trait: “I’m better than everyone” or “Everyone wishes they were like me”. Little do we know; God sees right through it. What He sees are the anxieties and worries that insecurity is rooted in.

If you struggle with pride, you are in need of God’s grace. Be humble and find comfort in knowing God loves all of us, all the time. Rather than trying to conform to the world’s values or putting yourself in the spotlight, take a step back and give glory to the Lord. He is the One who we should be boastful of. He is the One we should be secure in. Nothing you do is better than what God has already done for you. Nothing you worry about will ruin what God has already done for you. Feel free to submit a prayer request if you are struggling with sin. We would be happy to pray for you!