"The Destructive Power of Pride: Lessons from Pharaoh"

0:00 Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm so excited to continue our series, The Games We Play With God. Today's episode is called The Destructive Power of Pride. We're going to talk about how pride can lead us away from God, disrupt our relationships, and ultimately bring destruction. If you ever struggle with pride, whether it's refusing to ask for help, seeking credit, or resisting correction, this episode is for you.

0:41 Let's dig into the Bible's most explicit example of pride, and it's Pharaoh with his hardened heart. So Pharaoh's pride, he had some consequences. If you have ever read the story of Exodus, Moses and Pharaoh, it's found in Exodus 7-14. That's where our story comes from today. It's a story of Pharaoh's interaction with Moses and God's plagues on Egypt. Pharaoh's pride was evident from the beginning. He refused to let the Israelites go. Even after God showed his power through miraculous signs and devastating plagues, he repeatedly refused to submit to God, but his refusal did not just harm him, it harmed others.

1:37 It brought suffering to his entire nation. The scripture related to that is Exodus 7.13. It says, But Pharaoh's heart was hard, and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord has said. Isn't that interesting? So sometimes, not sometimes, most of the time, when God sends you to a place, he's already scouted it out for you. He knows the heart of the people. So he knew when he sent Moses to talk to Pharaoh that Pharaoh was going to be resistant to anyone telling him what to do.

2:21 And we know some people like that already, don't we? But Pharaoh's story teaches us an important truth. Pride isn't just about arrogance. It's about refusing to recognize God's authority and thinking we know better than him. Ouch, how we all have been there and we all had pie in the face or on the face or however you say it in your language. You know, when you just kind of bump your head against the wall, it's like, oops, I should have listened to the Lord, but we didn't. And so pride blinds us to God's warnings and keeps us stuck in cycles of disobedience.

3:11 I just had to pause there because you know pride does keep you thinking that if I do it this way I won't it's not disobedience if I do it this other way it's not disobedience when God tells you to do it to go right and you keep going left it's disobedience and so Where is pride keeping you from listening to God or others in your life and you keep bumping your head? I think we have some children like that. We have some adults like that that says, I'm going to keep doing it this way. No matter what way it looks like, it might look different to you.

3:53 If God has told you not to do it, then it is considered disobedience. And then you're hitting these cycles of disobedience, and you're really just wasting a lot of time. So what is the root of pride? Pride often stems from desire for control or recognition. We want to be seen as strong, capable, or essential, and that can lead us to resist God's guidance or dismiss the needs of others. You know, when God asks you to go apologize, or we ask you to humble yourself and maybe go do something that you had claimed that you would never, ever, ever do.

4:39 I mean, God is saying, don't resist him. You look stronger in his eyes than you do. You might look weak before other people, but you look strong in his eyes. God always has a redemption plan for you when you let go of pride, let go of control, let go of trying to be seen, let go of trying to be capable, let go of trying to be essential. We should have got enough of that during COVID. Let go of all of that. And stop resisting God's guidance and allowing him to guide you.

5:20 Proverbs 16, 18 says, pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. And so all we have to say is watch out timber. And this timber is when the tree is falling. When you work in the forest, you kind of warn others that this tree is about to fall. And so we can see this fall in people, this falling down, this falling away in people who walk in this pride, this desire to be recognized, this desire to be in control. God says, watch out, watch out. You are about to fall because you are not to be exalted above me.

6:07 You will bow down. The Bible says every knee should bow, and that includes you. Amen. Pharaoh's refusal to humble himself before God led to his downfall. By the time he finally released the Israelites, Egypt has suffered immense losses, including the death of the firstborn sons. It was so serious that even someone had to die. Now, you're already suffering through flies, blood in the water. You know, you got locusts. You got all kinds of frogs. You got all kinds of, I think it was 10 of them, right?

6:47 Just doing devastating things to the people. They really didn't touch the people to the land. And yet you, Pharaoh, with his pride, didn't even think about anything. But himself. And then until the firstborn died, and then they said there were screams and cries throughout the land. And for that moment, that moment, he released the Israelites. Are there areas in your life where pride is causing unnecessary struggles? Is there pride causing unnecessary struggles. God does not want us to struggle.

7:30 He wants us to trust in Him. Let go of that pride. Let go of that. I want to be seen strong. I want to be seen capable. I want to be seen essential. I want to be recognized. If you notice, though, if you live long enough, If you'll notice that the movie stars, they have their season of recognition. And then they do everything they can to stay recognized, bringing back the old songs, bringing back, having a reunion. I mean, just everything they can do to stay current.

8:10 And sometimes, you know, you're current for a season and it's good to have a reunion and come back. But sometimes it's good to just sit down somewhere. I don't know about you. I want to go. You've heard them when you were in high school. You go to reunion when you're kind of in your mids and then now you're in your 60s and they still having a reunion. I mean, come on now. I don't know. I think that's a bit much. But, you know, that's just me talking. But we should have changed. I always think that I don't want to go see Vogue. How old are they now? I don't want to go see Michael Jackson. I don't want to go see Beyonce. They were when I was younger. I want to maybe see something new.

8:53 Maybe a little jazz, just some music playing in the background. But back to my point, I don't know why I go on these tangents, but are there areas in your life where pride is causing unnecessary struggles? How do pride manifest itself in today's world? Pride isn't just a problem for ancient rulers, it shows up in daily lives in subtle and not so subtle ways. Number one, refusing help. We often think we can handle everything on our own, even when God places people in our lives to help us. Raise your hand if that's you.

9:34 We don't want nobody to know that we might be having in some trouble. And so we don't ask for help. And so we just, if we ask the right, God knows who to send your way. He knows who he wants around you. And if you can just say, hey, can you help me with this? You realize that, dang, I've been struggling trying to figure out how I'm going to get to point A to B. And all I had to do was just ask this person and it was taken care of. Number two, taking credit. Things go well. We're quick to claim the glory instead of giving it to God. I remember I had an opportunity I had one of Asked me to help assist in writing a manual, And this person kept saying Well we wrote by this person It was written by me I was like Don't put me on front street like that I wrote it because God You asked me to write it I prayed God gave me kind of your heart I helped you write it So I'm not going to put my name on this This is going to be written on behalf to you So you take the credit going forth.

10:39 And so I didn't want the credit. Give God the credit. You take the credit. Leave me off this middle thing. Because, you know, sometimes even by accident, when someone gives you too much credit, especially you know you use God to help you write it, and they keep saying, well, Connie did this, and Connie did this, and Connie. You're like, whoa. Just by accident, from all that high air, your ego is thinking of blowing a balloon, right? You go, whoo, whoo, pretty soon your ego get all puffed up and you forget that it wasn't even you. It was the Lord using you. Right. So be watchful when you take credit, when you don't give God the glory or you take credit.

11:22 For something that, you know, God gave you or you're just helping somebody out, but you happen to have that talent or that gift that shines bigger than someone else's. And so you're getting all that, I call it hot air, a hot air blown your way and your ego starts to blow up like a big balloon. Watch out. What happens? It's going to fall. It's going to blow up. So be careful about that taking credit. I remember I had a pastor tell me, you know, if you can stay even keel throughout the good, the bad, and the ugly, you will never really fall into pride. Just stay even. Whether you're doing good, bad, or ugly, yeah, you can probably give yourself a high five, but don't stay there.

12:04 You keep moving forth in your evenness. Number three, rejecting correction. This is a good one. Pride makes it hard to accept constructive criticism or admit when you're wrong. People put that under the feedback. Feedback is good if it's fair. If it's just you giving me negative stuff, I don't need it. If your feedback is going to help me grow, I'll accept it. So sometimes rejecting correction is different from feedback, but sometimes it's the same. So pride makes it hard to accept constructive criticism or admit when you're wrong. So these are some signs, red flags, red lights, sirens that should go off that you might be getting really close to some pride.

12:51 Refusing help, taking credit, rejecting correction. Scriptural connection. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. So when you see pride coming, then comes disgrace. So you know you're about to get embarrassed. But if you humble yourself, then comes wisdom. So God always has this balanced act that he plays with us. If you let pride rule, you're going to be ashamed and embarrassed. But if you see it coming, balance it out with humility. And guess what? Nothing happens.

13:33 That's what I was talking about earlier about keeping everything on an even keel. Whether you're doing good, bad, or ugly, allow that pride to balance itself out with humility. Let it just check yourself. Keep checking yourself for you wreck yourself so you don't embarrass yourself. How do you overcome pride? How do we stop playing the game of pride? Here are some practical steps. Number one, acknowledge God's sovereignty, recognizing that everything we have come from him. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of heavenly lights.

14:19 So recognize that everything we have. Comes from God. Your gifts, your talents, everything. And so first thing and foremost to go, thank you, Lord. That takes out all your pride. Poof, it takes the air out the balloon. Number two, practice humility. Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. James 4.10 says it best. It says, humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up. Whoever the Lord lifts up, stays up.

15:02 Come on now, whoever the Lord lifts up, stays up. So we have to know that. Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up. And number three, seek accountability. humility surround yourself with people who gently point out when your pride is creeping in. I love it when you say is that pride creeping in you gotta have somebody that can speak truth into your into you you know you can't you can't be the biggest balloon in the room all the time amen so how do we keep our pride in check we acknowledge God's sovereignty we practice humility because whoever humble yourself, I love this one, James 4.10, I like it because humble yourself before God and he will lift you up.

15:52 And whoever God lifts up stays up. That practice humility and seek accountability. Decrees to conquer pride. Let's declare some truths together to break the grip of pride. So let's just break that pride right now, right? So let's say it. I decree that I will walk in humility, right? Recognizing God's authority over my life. Remember, humility is when you bow down and letting God lift you up. Why? Because whoever God lifts up stays up. Amen. I decree that I will give God the glory for every success and blessing. Always point to God. I decree that I will give God the glory.

16:35 First and foremost, you praising him. First and foremost, You've given him the glory because he, it comes from him. It comes with him, from him. I can't say it. It comes from him. It comes from him. I decree that I will remain teachable, embracing correction and growth. Why? Because you don't know everything. Oh, you don't know everything. Just make sure you say that to yourself. I don't know everything. This week, I encourage you to reflect on areas where pride might be showing up in your life. Ask yourself, where am I resisting God's guidance or help from others? How can I practice humility in my relationship and decisions?

17:18 Practical challenge. Each day, thank God for one thing in your life that you know comes from Him. Gratitude is a powerful way to keep pride in check. So let's close out with prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for the lessons you teach that you have taught us about pride and humility and that you continue to teach us about pride and humility. Forgive us for the times we've let pride take root in our hearts, lifting ourselves up instead of allowing you, Lord God, to lift us up. Help us to walk humbly before you, recognizing that all we have and all we are comes from you.

18:02 Teach us to listen to your guidance and to give you the glory in all things. In Jesus' name, amen. I don't know about you, but that was good. That was really good. So I want to just thank you again for joining me on this episode, The Games We Play With God. And this message resonates with you. Share it with a friend. Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode where we will discuss game number four, rebellion against God's order. Until next time, stay humble, stay rooted, and be blessed. Amen.