Pride and Arrogance

Arrogance, and pride are huge issues today! You see them, running throughout politics, throughout the media, throughout everywhere around you. It's such a sad world that we live in, with all of these arrogant and prideful people mucking about! If only someone with some sense would just step up to the plate!

Alright, as you can tell, I've got quite a bit of feeling involved in this. I am going to be looking at this partially sarcastically, but partially to let everyone know that this is a serious issue in the church.

Arrogant (ar·ro·gant)

   -having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

Pride /prīd/

   -a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.

I promise you, I'm preaching to myself also. With that in mind, let's dive in!

Hey there, sin, didn't notice you there. 

Let's think about something for a minute. You are a good person, you go to church, or whatever.

"Hey, I've got this issue." - Person A

"Oh, I'm so sorry, we have a support group for that, down the hall." - Church Goer.

"Oh, I have never done that!" you say.

Okay, let's tackle something equally destructive.

"Hey, I need prayer for this issue." - Person A

"Yeah, and I need prayer for this other issue." - Person B

"Yeah, we'll totally pray for that... what about you? (Points to you)" - Pastor

"No, things are going pretty well right now." - Church goer.

Or even worse, you never mention anything. 

I don't care if you are a good person and you don't struggle with drugs, outbursts of violence, pornography or self harm. What you have my friend, is an issue of pride. Everyone has struggles. You have struggles to. Compare your life to Jesus'. Where does yours not line up with his? For me, it's less in what I do, and more in what I think that needs alignment. But everyone has their own unique struggles:

You ever got jealous? - That's a sin

You ever hated someone or said "I hate you"? - That's a sin

You ever looked at a woman or a man and had thoughts about them that you shouldn't have? - Sin

These are just three examples of sin that I've struggled with recently.

When someone comes up to you, are you always the person who says, "I'll pray for you"?

I know I am.

I was/am immensely prideful in many things that I should not be. I was prideful in my girlfriend. I was prideful in my talents pertaining to leadership. I was prideful in my computer (of all things.)

But then, we broke up. (with an almost endless number of repercussions)

Then, I realized I couldn't lead thoughtlessly, and I couldn't just keep the status quo.

Then, my computer's had files in the registry get corrupted.

Boo, Poor Josh

Showed how much pride helped me doesn't it? I have been on top, embracing the one who lifted me there, then turned away and tried to do it myself. Like some explorer ignoring Indian Jones' warning I got caught because I thought I could evade the traps on my own. I watched what I knew crumble to pieces around me. You know what they say? "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Yeah, well, that's dumb. I didn't feel like I was stronger. 

I felt broken, but if God can make better use of a broken hammer then I'll be a broken hammer. I asked God to teach me what I needed to learn from where I was at. I learned a lot about humility, but I have a lot more to go.

So, where am I Now?

My responses have become less from the head, and more from the heart. I may have heard what the pastor is saying a billion times before, but I listen. Why? Because it's the freaking word of God! We have a God, who reached down and touched earth. We have a God that physically DIED for us. 

And we live life as if it's one big party. We live life for helping others as long as it boosts our pride in some way. It's about give and give and you get your take in heaven. - Yes, that's actually a bad mentality.

Here's another thought, God knows what I'm thinking. Imagine yourself saying out loud, what you're thinking.

Would you ask for prayer then?

You may be funny, you may be a charismatic leader, you may be a strong warrior, but you are nothing without God.

If we truly believed that, how different would this world be?

Too different.

Look in the bible. 

You need help just like every other person. 

Cut the crap, and step off of your high horse.

Afterword
Wow, I wrote this just two months ago. (You might have seen it then. But I was too ticked off to make a decent blog post out of it, so I've waited until I could write a good one.) A lot has changed since then. I'm less dark and confused. I'm not healed, but I am healing. God is a powerful God, and I will not bend beneath the gusts of wind that the enemy is throwing at me. I will plant my feet firmly, and declare with a booming voice that I am on the highest of high grounds, and I will not be wiped out or taken down. I've got God on my side, and he's so much better than anything in this world.

You know what song I've had running through my head today? This song. And this song is awesome.

Just remember, you have problems too. And ignoring them doesn't make them go away. Hold God's hand, face your problems, fears and doubts and come out triumphantly. I am on my way out, and it feels magnificent.