First of all, let’s establish that these are 2 very different things that somehow often get confused with one another.

Secondly, is it possible to exemplify confidence without being prideful? Yes!

When your hope is in Christ, you gain confidence!

When your hope is in YOU, you will ALWAYS struggle with pride.

But if pride is an issue for us, how do we deal with that issue and put that sin to death?

Prayer! Big, messy, embarrassing, fall on your face before your heavenly Father prayer! We have to beg God to let us understand (as much as our human minds can) the depths Jesus went to to save us, leaving HEAVEN to come to earth in human form, then living a sinless life, and finally dying a horrendous death on the cross.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

All for me.

All so that I could live with Him for eternity.

All because He LOVES me.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10

If we can get even a glimpse of this picture, pride shouldn’t be an issue any longer. Understanding our place in the redemption story should humble us to our core and allow us to see how dependent we are, or should be, on God.

Every ounce of who I am was created JUST to serve Him. Not me. Not my desires.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

The problem with pride is that it causes us to focus on ourselves. How focused are YOU on YOU? Think about how often you get upset because YOUR plans got messed up, or YOUR ideas weren’t heard, or YOUR needs weren’t met. If we can easily think of the last few times these specific situations ruffled our feathers… we may need to check ourselves friends!

Why? Because Colossians 3:1-17 tells us that in Christ we are to …”set our minds on things above not on earthly things.”

Things above, that means not on us…

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1 – 4

Die to self.

Put your sin of pride to death too.

LIVE in Him!

Be CONFIDENT in Him.