Surrender That Stubborn Pride

 Stubbornness has been both praised and criticized throughout history. Some people take pride in their stubbornness. Karl Jung, the Swiss psychologist, wrote, "I regret the foolish mistakes that sprang from my stubbornness, but without that trait I would have never reached my goal." Stubbornness can keep us on track while we’re pressing on toward worthy goals.

Sophocles, the Greek dramatist expressed another view in his play Antigone: "Stubbornness and stupidity are twins," but some people believe stubbornness protects their fragile self-esteem. In truth, stubbornness can be a huge obstacle to overcome while seeking and receiving forgiveness. How easy is it to give in to pride, even when knowing it’s a glaring mistake?

However, obstacles can be turned into opportunity. Obstacles can be challenged head-on by refusing to give in to real and artificial barriers and by asking God for courage and wisdom to grant and receive forgiveness. You can surrender your stubborn pride to Christ, who will sufficiently enable you with the strength to overcome it. 

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You stubborn and hardhearted people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did.

~Acts 7:51 Contemporary English Version

Too much pride can put you to shame. It’s wiser to be humble.

~Proverbs 11:2 Contemporary English Version

Then if my people will humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place.

~2 Chronicles 7:14-15 The Living Bible

Stubborn Honesty or Stubborn Pride? - Part 3

Stubbornness can be an asset when it keeps a person in pursuit of worthy goals. Determination to succeed is most often needed when choosing to make worthy changes. Stubborn pride on the other hand, can be a detrement to love and intimacy. Stubbornness is closely related to fear of change, which requires trusting yourself into the care of another person.

Stubbornness is a reason for communication's breakdown with others or even with God, and the consequences can be severe. Leviticus 26:14 sends this  warning from God. "If you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break your stubborn pride. Your strength will be spent in vain."

But there's a better way, so choose to change by repenting and turning from stubborn pride to prevent awful consequences from coming down on you. The opposite of stubbornness is flexibility that begins by trusting yourself into the care of the Lord Jesus Christ. Discard false security which prevents you from experiencing the love, joy, and true security that God gives.  

Stubborn Honesty or Stubborn Pride? - Part 2

Change often doesn't come easy, even when it's for a godly purpose. When change requires making adjustments for ways to function in relationships, there seems to be a particularly stiff resistance. Stubbornness, to some extent, can work for your good but often serves as a detriment to happiness.

Stubbornness is most often perceived as being inflexible, but intimacy requires flexibility that's essential to feeling acceptable and loved. Stubbornness is designed to get your way and is therefore a controlling device, but it may isolate you from those who love you. Stubbornness even makes it difficult to hear God's voice because hearing God's voice will require you to make changes.

The Lord God in Psalm 81 has this to say. "But my people would not listen to me, nor submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." Choosing to change begins by recognizing your stubborn heart. Letting it go can be the loving and accepting decision that opens the door for you to experience the true intimacy God intended.