Self-Centeredness

Originally by Andrew Wommack, updates from Eileen L. Plemmons

Do you enjoy compliments, but not criticism? What is your reaction when things don’t go as planned, people offend, or you’re not given the credit deserved?

Self-centeredness is, “concerned solely with one’s own desires, needs or interests.” It has to do with “pride” as a verb; “to indulge oneself, take satisfaction in oneself, inordinate self-esteem, an unreasonable conceit of superiority.”

“Pride” puts the focus on ourselves. Proverbs 13:10 (AMP) “Through pride and presumption come nothing but strife – but skillful and godly wisdom is with those who welcome well-advised counsel.” If this were an equation, we’d say; “Pride plus presumption equals strife.”

Proverbs 16:18 (TPT) “Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure. The higher you lift yourself up in pride (over confidence), the harder you’ll fall in disgrace.” The opposite is being humble and contrite, or focusing on others. Even someone who’s not boastful, but shy or timid, can be self-centered, the focus is on them and their timidity.

The root of pride is self-centeredness, making us angry, and causing a reaction. We don’t need faith in Jesus to control others, but ourselves. Think about the end of Jesus’ life, the suffering He went through, His last words; “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He didn’t control people, but instead controlled Himself. He thought of His mother, and spoke to John about caring for her.

Jesus forgave and operated in love during intense agony, injustice, and all satan threw at Him, because He was NOT self-centered. It’s our own selfishness that makes us angry, yet the Scriptures teach that we are “dead to ourselves” (Romans 6:11).

Dead things don’t react to insults, hurt, or being ignored. Life will come against us, but believers in Jesus have been given the ability to handle them correctly through Holy Spirit. When we make Jesus Christ LORD of our life, love Him, His Kingdom, and people more than ourselves, we’ll find strife and contention cease.

God didn’t give us His Kingdom for selfish purposes! In denying ourselves, and losing our life for His sake, we find life. By loving God and people more than ourselves we defuse our anger, hurt, and pride. Instead of placing blame elsewhere, we need to accept responsibility, humble ourselves before God asking Him to be BIG in our life.

That’s where the victory is!

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