How do you know if you are being "Too prideful"?

[Bcs90]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

 

[A_Thinker]

But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.

These are polar opposites.

To be something great for the glory of God, ... we must give up "our own" strength ... and, in many circumstances, ... allow ourselves to "be taken advantage of".

As did Jesus ...

Philippians 2

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

[grasping the after wind]

If one is concerned with how to tell if one is too prideful check to see if one is breathing. In other words, just assume you will be prideful and forgive yourself for it because you simply are as human as everyone else. Recalling that one is no better than the rest of us and no worse either can be a good way to curb one's pridefulness. I would advise dropping the idea of doing something great and instead attempt to do something nice. Let God take the glory where He decides to take it rather than attempting to do something spectacular to give it to Him.

 

[Tempura]

We can certainly drive ourselves to insanity. I've done it a lot. As we grow, we will learn more about ourselves, including the depth of our sin, but instead of getting more and more miserable, we can have more hope. You will hear many different answers, this is mine.

The older I get, the more my focus shifts from myself to God, from my righteousness to His, from my sin to the Cross of Christ, from my fear into His love. In my self and my ability and knowledge I find no peace, so I give it all to Him, pray honestly as I am and trust Him that He knows what He is doing.

I do not trust my feelings. I am at war with them. I do take peaceful and gracious feelings as a blessing, but in all else I refuse to trust them. I have suffered from anxiety as long as I remember, it turns everything good into something bad. So if I have guilt, I take it as learning experience, where I should turn to God, instead of listening to my guilt and fear further will all its condemnations and horrors. If I must feel them, then I will, but I don't have to believe them. I can not build my faith around my broken mind and heart, it will be as broken as I am. I trust God to build it, my faith, hope and love, as He shares of His own. In the middle of all storm, there will be this lifeline, this hopeful little trust that doesn't know about anything else than to just trust in God's goodness, and that He is a father for His children instead of an insane tormentor looking for any excuse to strike down His already confused children. The hardest thing for me was to actually have faith, to DECIDE to have faith in God's love, that it's not just a pretty word, and that it's not a thing we ever deserved but something that is His nature, and that is actually goes beyond our understanding. I am grateful that now, finally, I have begun to hold on to it and to trust in it. I do not believe, anymore, that I have to perform for Him. I believe He already accepts me in Christ and that I am in good care. If I perform, I believe it to come from Him, and I can thank Him for it, instead of thinking I now, by myself, appeased an angry God.

If you're confident, you're confident. It doesn't necessarily mean you're proud. Confidence can be a very good thing. You're proud when you think you are of more value than someone else. Pride raises you high, and puts others down, sometimes our pride puts even God down. It's hard to even understand the depth of our pride, because it goes deep and its roots can be all over the place. We do have pride. But as we live, we will learn. Do not take your good mood and throw it away for the sake of some arbitrary suffering or self-punishment, as if you should at all times be broken, or that you are somehow glorifying God by being conflicted and miserable. Sufferings and tribulations will come when they come. They rarely come in ways we expect. Let them come when they come, don't force it. We are allowed to have joy, to be happy, to be grateful and hopeful.

We can't outrun God. We can't carry our cross for 100 years worth in a few days. Let's carry it one day at a time, and remember that we shouldn't worry about absolutely everything right now. So if your heart is at peace, and if you're even glad, good. Thank God, and then you can love your neighbor with a happy heart. If you're suffering, tell it to Him, and think of Christ a sweet savior, hold on to Him and have hope. We will all continue to know God better if we keep an honest heart, and even for the honesty of our heart we can ask help from Him. We grow. We want to know everything and do everything, we don't have patience. We will have patience. No fear. In the end, all knowledge (and remember, we only ever know in part) and prophesying will cease. But faith, hope and love remain, and we can depend on God for all those things, and be at peace.

 

[GospelS]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

If i can say, you seem like a baby in Christ, a spiritual infant may be. Keep your hunger for God and feeding on His Word. Then as you grow you will see the transformation and receive knowledge that you will give you the understanding. A baby won't be able to have solid food.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 1 Cor. 3:1-3

 

[Hazelelponi]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28

Luke 14:11
Ezekiel 21:26

In other words, stop. Just stop wanting anything...

Jesus says the only work necessary to your salvation is belief:

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29

Ask God to perfect that one work in you, and beg nothing else. desire nothing else.

Paul said "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

Resolve to know Christ. Nothing else. Then, if God desires to use you He will, if He desires nothing from you but faith, then do what is pleasing to God.

The mightiest thing is faith..

 

[devin553344]

If you being prideful then you'd probably be self righteous and think ill of sinners instead of desiring their salvation. Or not interacting with certain people because they're not cool enough, etc. Pride can come from your possessions, status in life, and looks, etc.

 

[longwait]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

We might be prideful even without knowing it and that applies to all of us and not only to you.

 

[kvolm]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

Love to read all the questions because it does show the sincerity of your desire to grow in faith and maturity! And the answers to each of these questions could be a lengthy essay for each one. So I will ask you if you have a person in your life whom you would consider your spiritual mentor? If not, is there a mature Christ-follower whom you have a relationship with who might serve in this role for you?

 

[Bcs90]

Love to read all the questions because it does show the sincerity of your desire to grow in faith and maturity! And the answers to each of these questions could be a lengthy essay for each one. So I will ask you if you have a person in your life whom you would consider your spiritual mentor? If not, is there a mature Christ-follower whom you have a relationship with who might serve in this role for you?

I am not sure, I do have christians in the family, how devoted they are I guess only God knows. The past month we have gone to a couple different churches, they are just laidback churches where you come in plain clothes or whatever. The one we visited yesterday was pretty neat, it was out in a pole barn and it was raining so someone ran out to give us an umbrella.

 

[kvolm]

I am not sure, I do have christians in the family, how devoted they are I guess only God knows. The past month we have gone to a couple different churches, they are just laidback churches where you come in plain clothes or whatever. The one we visited yesterday was pretty neat, it was out in a pole barn and it was raining so someone ran out to give us an umbrella.

Glad you have been enjoying visiting churches. Are you looking to get involved/invested in a church community? Maybe one of the things to look for is a church which offers spiritual mentoring or discipleship. Different churches call it by different names but it's a question you could ask if you find a church you might consider attending.

 

[Sketcher]

Like often since trying to find God/Jesus I have confessed all my sins and repented but still feel some guilt and like I am not worthy.. Often feeling depressed, for good reason, I am a real butthole of a person. But, I would like to be transformed into something great, and for the glory of God and to not be selfish anymore. But I also don't want to be weak or get taken advantage of.. Not anywhere in life.
What is the difference between a confident and prideful person? Many days I feel maybe I am being too prideful just for being in a good mood. So I still feel guilty and unworthy of God but I also at the same time don't wish to be miserable or suffer so I might sing, smoke a little grass, do some things for me. But if I am a follower of Christ how can I just be working and that? Yeah I try to help people when I can, and be polite/loving even when I don't feel love within me, though not all the time. What does God really want from me? If anything.. How can I find what he wants me to do? All he has to do is give me the word and I will, but how do I hear him, how do I see him? How do I KNOW him? Sometimes I wonder if the thoughts I'm having are from God, Evil, or just my own foolish self, maybe I've gone insane.

You can be appropriately confident without becoming arrogant. Romans 12:3-6, Romans 12:16, Deuteronomy 8:17-18, and James 4:13-15 touch on how to avoid pride.
The opposite of pride, is humility. We need to cultivate humility.
A humble man doesn't think badly of himself, but thinks of himself less. He's more concerned with the people around him, how he can love them.
The chapter on pride in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is a good read on the subject.

 

[bcbsr]

See Measuring One's Humility