Pride and Self-Deception

Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and [a]abuse me.” But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword and fell on it. 1 Samuel 31:4 (NKJV)

King Saul's downfall was primarily due to his disobedience to God, pride, and failure to seek divine guidance, which ultimately led to his rejection as king and tragic end. Initially humble, Saul's character changed as he gained power. His impatience led him to offer sacrifices himself instead of waiting for Samuel, which was a direct violation of God's command. This act demonstrated a lack of trust in God's timing and authority. As David rose in popularity, Saul became increasingly jealous and paranoid, viewing David as a threat to his throne. This jealousy led to attempts on David's life and a relentless pursuit of him, ignoring his responsibilities as king. Saul's reign as king ended with him taking his own life after being struck with a philistine arrow. This act of self-sacrifice was a culmination of Saul's decline, sin, and distance from God, reflecting his deep sense of fear and hopelessness.

Like Saul, pride and self-deception control us today. They are deeply intwined with addiction, acting as a core defense mechanism that prevents us from admitting our addiction and seeking recovery. How many times have you heard, "I've got this. I can stop anytime I want." Because of pride we deny we have a problem and we rationalize our addiction. We then deceive ourselves and blame others, allowing the addiction to continue. As our addiction continues, we damage relationships, lose health, and disrupt our lives. Fear and hopelessness are in control, which leads to our own destruction. But we don't have to let addiction control us. James 4:6 says, "But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” We can choose humility and honesty over pride and self-deception.

Choose to break the cycle of addiction. Find a recovery program like Celebrate Recovery and step out of your denial. Admit that you are powerless to control your issues alone. Stop pretending things are fine and tell the truth to yourself and someone you trust. Give your addiction to Jesus and commit your life and will to His care. Getting unstuck from our hurt, habits, hang-ups is not an easy thing, but when we give it to God and have the support of our brothers and sisters in a recovery program, we can overcome the pride and self-deception and beat our addictions.