MY PROBLEM WITH PRIDE |  MI PROBLEMA CON EL ORGULLO

By 31st July 2020 Uncategorised

I became a Christian as a teenager and had a strong sense that God’s hand was upon me. I read the Bible through by the time I was fifteen and at sixteen I received a word that I was called to leadership.

In my 20s, I gave up a great career for a part-time job that would pay my way through Bible college. I rose early to pray and study. I was out on the streets on Saturdays to share the gospel. When the church was open, I was there. I was hungry, in love with the Lord & eager to grow.

Soon I started to receive public prophecies about my life and ministry. One time, a close friend walked into church while a pastor was prophesying over someone and she thought, “That must be Jo.” She was right. God was confirming His call on my life. 

SPECIAL 

One week, three different people gave me words that I was special to God and that He had a great purpose for my life. Those words went deep into my heart.  The problem was that on the way down, they got twisted.

The prophecies made me feel important and made me think that I was special. Let me explain something. You and I are very special to God. But what makes us special is not our gifts or call. It’s not our achievements. You and I are special because we belong to Jesus. 

I didn’t know that back then. It makes me cringe to even write this, but I started to think that I was more important than other people. When God calls us to ministry, He calls us to be servants. He called me because He values you. 

TOXIC MIX

On one hand, I was insecure and fragile, but on the other, I had an inflated view of myself. Insecurity and pride are a particularly unpleasant mix. In fact, insecurity is all too often the root of pride. 

Irrespective of the root, if we think more highly of ourselves than we ought, we are on dangerous ground. The Bible gives us a list of things that God hates, that are an abomination to Him. Guess what is right at the top of that list?

“A proud look (the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others)…” (Prov 6:17 Amp). It’s an attitude that can be summed up in one look, one reaction or comment. “Who does she think she is?” “Why on earth would they choose him?” 

OUR EXAMPLE 

Jesus is a servant king. It hurts Him when we think that we are better than others or if we lord it over fellow believers.  Pride is when we look down on others, when we think their opinions are less valuable than ours, when we belittle their gifts or experience.  

Most of my self-importance back then was rooted in insecurity. I allowed position to puff me up because I felt like I was nothing. Today, I still guard my heart because pride will always try to creep in. It sunk satan so he wants to use it to make us fall.

I encourage you to ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas of pride. This is one of the biggest disqualifiers we will ever come across. My course Dreamstealers Online deals with pride as well as 6 other universal heart diseases.  Check it out here. 

Me convertí al cristianismo en mi adolescencia y tenía una fuerte sensación que la mano de Dios estaba sobre mi. Había leído la Biblia completa entre mis 15 y 16 años y tenía una palabra que sería usada en el liderazgo.

En mis 20, entregué mi carrera por un trabajo de medio tiempo que pagaría mi seminario bíblico. Me despertaba temprano para orar y estudiar. Los sábados salía a las calles a evangelizar. Cuando la iglesia estaba abierta, ahí estaba yo. Estaba hambrienta, enamorada del Señor y con ganas de crecer. 

Empecé a recibir profecías públicas de lo que el Señor haría con migo en mi vida y ministerio. Una vez, una amiga entro en la iglesia y escucho al pastor profetizar sobre alguien, y pensó esa debe ser Jo. Ella estaba en lo cierto, Dios estaba confirmando mi llamado.

ESPECIAL

En una semana, tres personas me dijeron lo especial que era para Dios y el gran propósito que tenía para mi vida. Esas palabras entraron profundo en mi corazón. El problema era que en lo que bajaban, se estaba torciendo.

Las profecías me hacían sentir importante y que era especial. Permíteme explicarte algo. Usted y yo somos especiales para Dios. Pero lo que nos hace especial no es el llamado o el don. No son nuestros logros. Usted y yo somos especiales porque le pertenecemos a Jesús, 

Yo no sabía eso, en ese entonces. Siento vergüenza mientras escribo esto, me empecé a sentir más importante que otros. Cuando Dios nos llama al ministerio, el nos llama a que seamos sus siervos. El te llama porque te valora. 

MEZCLA TÓXICA

De un lado era frágil e insegura, pero por otro tenía una percepción inflada de mi. Inseguridad y orgullo es una mezcla rara. Es más, inseguridad es la raíz del orgullo. 

En referencia a la raíz, si tenemos un más alto concepto de nosotros  de lo que debe ser, es terreno peligroso. La biblia nos da una lista de 7 cosas que Dios aborrece. Que son abominación a El. Que es lo que está al principio de esta lista?

“Los ojos altivos, (lo que te hace sobrestimarte y lo que hace estimar en poco a otros) ..,”Prov 

NUESTRO EJEMPLO

Jesús es el siervo Rey. A el le duele cuando pensamos que somos mejores que otros o si nos enseñoreamos de nuestros hermanos en la Fe. Orgullo es cuando miramos hacia abajo a otros, cuando pensamos que su opinión no tiene valor, cuando apocamos sus dones y sus experiencias. 

La mayor parte de mi valía en ese entonces estaba arraigada en mi inseguridad. Yo le permití a la posición que me engrandeciera porque me sentía como que no era nada. Hoy guardo mi corazón porque el orgullo trata de deslizarse. Hundí a satanas para que no trate de hacernos caer. 

Te animo a que le pidas a Dios que escudriñe tu corazón y que exponga alguna raíz de orgullo. Este es uno de los más grandes descalificadores  que se te cruzará. Mi clase en línea “DREAMSTEALERS ONLINE” trata el orgullo y otras 6 enfermedades del corazón. Revísalo! 

3 Comments

  • Charlene Obinwogo says:

    God bless you for such a profound and introspective insight to what a lot of us don’t know we are victims of.
    This was just another reminder and confirmation in my Spirit to humble my very proud self that I am just a product of his mercy and grace.
    All that I have attained and accomplished has nothing to do with anything I can do for as the word says in John 15:5 “for without him we can do NOTHING”!
    God bless you PJ.
    Lots of love, Char.

  • Christine Fogarty says:

    Thank you Jo
    It’s a great reminder of how quick pride can creep up on me and to guard my heart more carefully pray God to help me see it quickly with his help
    Be more humble but also to guide me from becoming proudfull of being humble as I need his grace mercy daily thanks for sharing
    Chrissy

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