poor behavior and its relationship to pride

"I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in His strength I can do all things." Alma:26:11-12

I have weaknesses like everyone else. Some are quite embarrasing, which nobody would blame me for hiding. Others are so blatant that the world can see them displayed on my sleeve. Change cannot begin without using the will to make it begin. Freedom from poor behaviorsbegin with a a tiny flicker of will. One finally becomes willing to change, when the pain of the problem becomes worse than the pain of the solution. Poor behaviors (yelling, lying, stealing, abuse, procrastination, laziness) and addictions (food, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gamboling, dangerous sexual practices)ruin a person's ability to function normally and sustain real relationships. The first step is desire to change.

What finally made me willing to change was the cost of my behaviors. At some point my family, my health, social relations, and God became more important that satisfying narcasism. I realized I valued my beliefs more than my behavior. I didn't have all the behaviors above, but some of them were my daily companions and undermined my values. God helped me see myself and my life as He envisioned me with all my divine potentia;. He helped me see what I was risking if I chose to continue with wrong thinking and wrong actions. This helped me desire to change.

Honestly, pride was my major sin. My life was a distorted illusion, which was only evident to me. "Pride is a very misunderstood sin...Most of us thingk 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. Enmity means 'hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.'It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us. Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will agiannst God's. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of 'my will and not thine be done.'...Our will in comptition to God's will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. They pit their prerceptions of truth against God's priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works." Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1989, 4

Abstaining from and admitting problems begins the process of replacing pride with humility. I'm not saying that I'm in perfect humility, but I'm doing better. I found that studying scripture and writing my discoveries was a powerful tool to build strength against the advesary's temptations to fall back into old ways. Writing helps to slow down the process giving me the ability to focus and understand the wrong thinking behind my choices.

"I am encompassed about, because of the temptatins and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, me heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wolderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." 2 Nephi 4:18-21

"It came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did agian receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself; Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which ting I never had supposed." Moses 1:10

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens." Enos 1:4

Our souls hunger. The trick is to direct our spirits tohunger correctly.

""Some may regard the quality of character known as honesty to be a most ordinary subject. But I believe it to be the very essence of the godpel. Without honesty, our lives....will degenerate into ugliness and chaos." Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, October 1990, 2

"Because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, wosoever repenteth shall find mecy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved." Alma 32:13

"Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truely are his delight." Proverbs 12:22


Behind all these verses is the same general theme. We are nothing without God. He expects us to be honest, humble, and seek Him. Without using our will do so, we will be stuck in pride and be compelled o be humble. To illustrate, think of the young teen who begins to drink alcohol and smoke weed with friends. It is fun....for awhile. PRetty soon that young person forgets about dreams to attend college as grades slip and classes are skipped. Partying is everything and becomes a trap that was baited by pleasure. After awhile, partying ecalates and the youth is now drinking and drugging alone, maybe even stealing from loved ones to support the habit. After dropping out of school or just barely squeaking through graduation requirements, the young adult cannot hold a job, cannot support themselves and moves into the parents basement. Eventually they hit bottom. Youth has lost its bloom long before it should as addictive behavior ooh its toll. Crime may escalate. Parents and other loved ones may receive abuse. The young adult hits bottom sooner or later, thus being compelled to be humble. Of course differenehaviors manifest in differt ways. It may take 40 years for the affects of addictions to show in health or pocketbook. It may take 20 years for an abuser to answer accusations. But in this life or the next, refusing to heed God's will must be addressed.

At least on eart, we have the chance to change, repent, and still dwell with God in the hereafter. If we will not be humbled and repent, we will spend eternity regretting our pride.