I have been guilty of being prideful, it took me years to realize just how much of an idiot I had been. Funny thing is that I did not realize that it was pride that was holding me back, until this week’s lesson. I just knew that I needed to let it go and ask forgiveness from my husband. President Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteen President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said in his address of April 1989, “In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride…” (p. 4). He continues, “They [the proud] withhold forgiveness to keep another in their debt and to justify their injured feelings” (p. 6). This is a pretty accurate description of what I had done. Only thing is that my husband did not realize what was going on because I never said anything until I asked for his forgiveness.
I had carried the grudge for so long that I had even let it go to the back of my mind. So grateful that the Holy Ghost will bring all things to our remembrance (John 14:26). That is what happened to me and motivated me to address the issue and speak with my eternal companion and overcome it and move forward together. President Benson said, “Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. The central feature of pride is enmity – enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen” (p. 4-5). “Enmity means ‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition’” (p. 5). We may not think of our family members as our fellowmen, but they are, and sometimes they are the ones we treat the worst.
Fortunately, we have the opportunity for repentance and change. We can overcome pride and become more humble, more loving and giving, and more Christ-like in our interactions with others. We have a choice, President Benson reminds us, “God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble” (p. 7). Knowing that pride is what led to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as the Nephite Nation, I think I will choose to be humble.
References: Benson, Ezra Taft. (May 1989). Beware of Pride. Ensign, 4-7.