50 Fruits of Pride

I was recently listening to an audio message titled "Humility: True Greatness" by C.J. Mahaney. Being such a prideful person, I usually don't like to face that area of weakness. I mean, who really likes to look into the mirror of God's Word and see himself as he really is? I don't find my struggle with humility enjoyable... after all, it's a STRUGGLE!

I cannot ignore the importance of addressing the topic of Humility because it has so much to do with how we rightly view God and ethically handle the sword of His word. If I have not love then I am just a clanging cymbal... if I have not humility perhaps I am not really a true follower of Jesus.

Let's look at 50 fruits of pride:

1. I tend to be self sufficient in the way I live my life. I don't live with a constant awareness that my every breath is dependent upon the will of God. I tend to think I have enough strength, ability and wisdom to live and manage my life. My practice of the spiritual disciplines is inconsistent and superficial. I don't like to ask others for help.



2. I am often anxious about my life and the future. I tend not to trust God and rarely experience his abiding and transcendent peace in my soul. I have a hard time sleeping at night because of fearful thoughts and burdens I carry.



3. I am overly self-conscious. I tend to replay in my mind how I did, what I said, how I came across to others, etc. I am very concerned about what people think of me. I think about these things constantly.



4. I fear man more than God. I am afraid of others and make decisions about what I will say or do based upon this fear. I am afraid to take a stand for things that are right. I am concerned with how people will react to me or perceive my actions or words. I don't often think about God's opinion in a matter and rarely think there could be consequences for disobeying him. I primarily seek the approval of man and not of God.



5. I often feel insecure. I don't want to try new things or step out into uncomfortable situations because I'm afraid I'll fail or look foolish. I am easily embarrassed.



6. I regularly compare myself to others. I am performance oriented. I feel that I have greater worth if I do well.



7. I am self-critical. I tend to be a perfectionist. I can't stand for little things to be wrong because they reflect poorly on me. I have a hard time putting my mistakes behind me.



8. I desire to receive credit and recognition for what I do. I like people to see what I do and let me know that they noticed. I feel hurt or offended when they don't. I am overly concerned about my reputation and hate being misunderstood.



9. I want people to be impressed with me. I like to make my accomplishments known.



10. I tend to be deceptive about myself. I find myself lying to preserve my reputation. I find myself hiding the truth about myself, especially about sins, weaknesses, etc. I don't want people to know who I really am.



11. I am selfishly ambitious. I really want to get ahead. I like having a position or title. I far prefer leading to following.



12. I am overly competitive. I always want to win or come out on top and it bothers me when I don't.



13. I like to be the center of attention and will say or do things to draw attention to myself.



14. I like to talk, especially about myself or persons or things I am involved with. I want people to know what I am doing or thinking. I would rather speak than listen.



15. I am self-serving. When asked to do something, I find myself asking, "How will doing this help me, or will I be inconvenienced?"



16. I am not very excited about seeing or making others successful. I tend to feel envious, jealous or critical towards those who are doing well or being honored.



17. I feel special or superior because of what I have or do. For example:
    
• my house


• my neighborhood


• my physical gifting


• my spiritual giftings


• my intellect


• being a Christian


• my position


• my job


• my education


• my car


• my salary


• my looks



18. I think highly of myself. In relation to others I typically see myself as more mature and more gifted. In most situations, I have more to offer than others even though I may not say so. I don't consider myself average or ordinary.



19. I tend to give myself credit for who I am and what I accomplish. I only occasionally think about or recognize that all that I am or have comes from God.



20. I tend to be self-righteous. I can think that I really have something to offer God. I would never say so, but I think God did well to save me. I seldom think about or recognize my utter depravity and helplessness apart from God. I fail to realize that any goodness I have comes from God alone.



21. I feel deserving. I think I deserve what I have. In fact, I think I ought to have more considering how well I have lived or in light of all I have done.



22. I often feel ungrateful. I tend to grumble about what I have or my lot in life.



23. I find myself wallowing in self-pity. I am consumed with how I am treated by God and others. I tend to feel mistreated or misunderstood. I seldom recognize or sympathize with what's going on with others around me because I feel that I have it worse than they do.



24. I can be jealous or envious of others abilities, possessions, positions, or accomplishments. I want to be what others are or want to have what others have. I find it hard to rejoice with others when they are blessed by God.



25. I am pretty insensitive to others. I feel that some people just aren't worth caring about.



26. I have a know-it-all attitude. I am impressed by my own knowledge. I feel like there isn't much I can learn from other people, especially those less mature than me.



27. I have a hard time listening to ordinary people. I listen better to those I respect or people I want to leave with a good impression. I don't honestly listen when someone else is speaking because I am usually planning what I am going to say next.



28. I like to reveal my own mind. I have an answer for practically every situation. I feel compelled to balance everyone else out.



29. I interrupt people regularly. I don't let people finish what they are saying.



30. I feel compelled to stop people when they start to share something with me I already know.



31. I find it hard to admit it when I don't know something. When someone asks me something I don't know, I will make up an answer rather than admit I don't know.



32. I don't get much out of Bible teaching. I tend to evaluate the speaker rather than my own life. I grumble about hearing something a second time.



33. I listen to teaching with other people in mind. I constantly think of those folks who need to hear this teaching and wish they were here.



34. I'm not very open to input. I don't pursue correction for my life. I tend to be unteachable and slow to repent when corrected. I don't really see correction as a positive thing. I am offended when people probe the motivations of my heart or seek to adjust me.



35. I have a hard time admitting that I am wrong. I find myself covering up or excusing my sins. It is hard for me to confess my sins to others or to ask for forgiveness.



36. I view correction as an intrusion into my privacy rather than an instrument of God for my welfare. I can't identify anyone who would feel welcome to correct me.



37. I resent people who attempt to correct me. I don't respond with gratefulness and sincere appreciation for their input. Instead I am tempted to accuse them and dwell on their faults. I get bitter and withdraw.



38. When corrected, I become contentious and argumentative. I don't take people's observations seriously. I minimize and make excuses or give explanations.



39. I am easily angered and offended. I don't like being crossed or disagreed with. I find myself thinking, "I can't believe they did that to me." I often feel wronged.



40. I have "personality conflicts" with others. I have a hard time getting along with certain kinds of people.



41. I lack respect for other people. I don't think very highly of most people. I have a hard time encouraging and honoring others unless they really do something great.



42. I am a slanderer. I find myself either giving or receiving evil reports about others. I justify this by thinking the things I say or hear are simply true about them. I deceive myself by a lack of concern about the effect of slander on me because of my supposed maturity level. I think I can handle it. I convince myself I only share with others the things I really think they legitimately need to know. I don't tell all.



43. I am divisive. I tend to resist or resent authority. I don't like other people giving me orders or directions or even guidance and advise.



44. I like to demean or put others down. At times I think people need to be adjusted and put in their place. This includes leaders. I focus on the need for others to be humble and have a "sober" assessment of themselves.



45. I tend to be critical of others. I find myself feeling or talking negatively about people. I subtlety feel better about myself when I see how bad someone else is.



46. I am self-willed and stubborn. I have a hard time cooperating with others. I really prefer my own way and often insist on getting it.



47. I am independent and uncommitted. I don't really see why I need other people. I can easily separate myself from others. I don't get much out of the small group meetings in the church.



48. I am unaccountable. I don't ask others to hold me responsible to follow through on my commitments. I don't really need accountability for my words and actions.



49. I am unsubmissive. I don't like being under the authority of another person. I don't see submission as a good and necessary provision from God for my life. I have a hard time supporting and serving those over me. I don't "look up" to people and I like to be in charge. Other people may need leaders but I don't. It is important that my voice is heard.



50. I really appreciate somebody taking the time to put this paper together. It will really be a big help to my friends and family. However, I don't really need this because I think I'm pretty humble already.

By Grace Rid Yourself of Pride

• Ask God to illuminate your heart so you can begin to see the fruits of pride in your life. Ask friends to point out the fruits of pride in your life realizing your heart is exceedingly deceitful.
  
  
• You must meet the qualifications if you are to go on in God. Humility is the attitude upon which everything else is built.
  
  
• Ask God to convict you point by point (Psalm 139:23-24) and trust that he will. You don't want or need general condemnation, only specific, godly conviction.



• Confess your pride to God point by point and ask for his forgiveness. Just as importantly, ask him to cleanse you of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).



• Don't ask God to humble you -- the Scriptures say to humble yourself (1 Peter 5:6). Humility isn't an emotion; it's a decision of the will to think and act differently. Vine's Expository Dictionary defines humble as "low lying." Ask yourself how you could be low lying or put others before yourself in various situations, and then do it.
  
  
  
• Respond to opportunities God gives you to humble yourself or honor others.
  
  
• Confess your sins of pride to those you have effected and to your friends. They can help to hold you accountable and bring the on-going correction you will need.

• Be open, honest and transparent about your life and sins.
  
  
• Ask God to give you a holy hatred for pride and its fruits in your life. Be continually on the alert. Don't allow pride to grow in your heart. Sow to the Spirit, not to the flesh.



• Remember your war against pride is life-long. It is not a battle won in a day. Yet, as you faithfully put to death, pride, and put on, humility, you will experience greater freedom and more importantly greater conformity to image and likeness of Christ. In so doing, God will be glorified in your life!

You can list to the audio message that I mentioned above at: http://www.bclr.org/audio/sermons/2005-09-11_AM2.mp3

This list is available as part of a larger document about pride from: http://www.pcop.org/OtherDownloads.html