Pride is having or displaying excessive self-esteem, conceit, ostentatious display; thinking one is magnificent.

We should have a healthy view of ourselves and display confidence and high self-esteem if we are children of the King, but when our self-confidence extends to arrogance and our self-esteem becomes excessive and smothering, we need to assess if we have stepped over the line from confidence to pride.

Psalms 10:4-5 states, “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.”

Wow, prideful people are called wicked because they do not seek God and think they don’t need God.

Hold up! Don’t get prideful, push your chest out, and shout, “That’s not me. I seek God and He is involved in my life.”

Many of us compartmentalize God.

He is involved in our lives on Sunday but Monday through Saturday we try to do it on our own.

Admit it.

How many of us pat ourselves on the back for being an excellent manager, physician, nurse, teacher, or entrepreneur because we go to church regularly and are fair in our dealings with people?

But we really think we are greater than everyone else and flaunt our greatness at every opportunity.

We believe we are successful because of our credentials or who we know and leave God out of the equation.

We must look into our hearts to see if pride has taken up residence.

If so, we are not ready for marriage.

                           Wewould betoo busy exalting ourselves to notice our mates.

 

We also have to be careful not to let pride creep into our lives when God blesses us.

There are scores of scriptures on the negative consequences of pride.

• Proverbs 11:2: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
• Proverbs 13:10: “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”
• Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
• Proverbs 29:23: “A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.”
• Proverbs 18:12: “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:8: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
• Psalm 138:6: “Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.”
• First Corinthians 13:4: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

It seems from God’s word that pride brings destruction, downfall, failure, dishonor, impatience, disgrace, foolishness, quarrels, and possible failure with love.

Being prideful is antithetical to love – Love does not boast and is not proud.

If we want to succeed in the love and marriage arena, we must let go of pride.