Beware of Pride

"Rather than depend on our own limited abilities, we can have the humility to go to God for help. And He is might to save- both souls and marriages."

-Goddard

Pride is so easy to get caught up in even unintentionally, as we often think of ourselves first. I know I can do this often in my marriage. I can think or say, “me, my, myself, mine” a lot more than “you, his, him”. Or I have been guilty of focusing on spouse’s weaknesses or focusing on the things he does that bother me. Goddard said, “In fact, any time we feel irritated with our spouses, that irritation is not an invitation to call out spouses to repentance but an invitation to call ourselves to repent. We are irritated because of our own lack of faith and humility.” This was such a powerful statement for me to read. It is a strong reminder on how I should act. When I am feeling irritated and focusing on the negative I am being prideful. Pride according to Ezra Taft Benson, can be hostility, opposition, or competiveness with man or God. When we are prideful we are giving power to Satan to destroy rather than to Christ who will strengthen us. Ezra Taft Benson also said that pride limits or stops progression. If we have pride in within our marriage, our marriage cannot progress. In order to gain strength from Christ and overcome pride we must bring humility and repentance into our lives. Goddard stated,” Rather than depend on our own limited abilities, we can have the humility to go to God for help. And He is mighty to save-both souls and marriages.” We need to be humble and submissive in order to rid ourselves pride. When we are humble we are more willing to see our spouse’s in positive ways rather than negative ways. We are more forgiving and are more willing to see our weaknesses instead of our spouse’s. We are able to look to ourselves and fix our own hearts instead of demeaning, competing or opposing each other. We are also blessed to have repentance in our lives so that we can start a new and try again to be better. Repentance blesses our own personal life and our marriage.