Admitting We Have "I" Trouble

Have you ever noticed how the middle letter of the word "pride" is an “I”? It is that focus on "I" that often gets us in trouble.

A conversation with a friend comes to mind. He had recently made the commitment to become a Christian. He shared with me that one of his greatest struggles with his new found faith was the level of pride that existed in the hearts of many long term Christians he encountered. As he got more involved in his church, he had more opportunities to interact with people who have been Christians for a very long time. Though some of those long term Christians set great examples for him for how faith and godliness work out in real life, a great many others just seem to ooze with pride. It was very disheartening for him.

Whether recent converts or long term believers, we must always remember that our struggle with pride lies just below the surface. It is ready to rear its head at any moment. When we fail to remember this, and our "I" problem begins to manifest itself, we can be frustrating for everyone around us. It can quench the Spirit of God that is working in us. It can turn people away from the faith. How many young people grew up attending church but turned away from their faith because of the pride they saw in those they once looked up to.

I know that pride is an issue I have to deal with constantly in my own life. I have come to believe that the longer we are Christians, the more prone to pride we become. This was the problem the Pharisees had in the New Testament, and not much has changed about the human condition since then.

If we want to invest ourselves in helping others find a meaningful faith in Christ, we must learn to let go of our "I" problems and live humbly before God and man.

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Dr. Terry W. Dorsett has served as a pastor, church planter, author and denominational leader in New England since 1993. He is the proud father of three adult children, a cancer survivor and the author of 8 books. You can find all of his books at http://www.amazon.com/Dr.-Terry-W.-Dorsett/e/B00405U4NY