Opposite of Pride

[Justice]

This week in my personal reading I just finished Alma. I moved into Helaman and saw a scripture that has me deeply pondering on it's content. It's Helaman 3:35...

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

I've been thinking that we focus so much on the cycle of pride in the Book of Mormon that we seem to forget that there are those who remain faithful during these cycles. I thought about what the Book of Mormon might teach us about those who remain faithful during one of these cycles.

This verse has me wanting to start the Book of Mormon over and look for just this thing.

I mean, seriously look at this verse and look at what it tells us about those who remain faithful. Verse 34 makes it clear that the Nephites are beginning one of these pride cycles. But, the things in this verse (35) describe what the people did who remained faithful.

What do you see in this verse, and why is it these things in particular that can help us avoid pride? And, why can some maintian these qualities while those around them give in to pride?

[Bensalem]

Originally Posted by Justice

This week in my personal reading I just finished Alma. I moved into Helaman and saw a scripture that has me deeply pondering on it's content. It's Helaman 3:35...

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

I've been thinking that we focus so much on the cycle of pride in the Book of Mormon that we seem to forget that there are those who remain faithful during these cycles. I thought about what the Book of Mormon might teach us about those who remain faithful during one of these cycles.

This verse has me wanting to start the Book of Mormon over and look for just this thing.

I mean, seriously look at this verse and look at what it tells us about those who remain faithful. Verse 34 makes it clear that the Nephites are beginning one of these pride cycles. But, the things in this verse (35) describe what the people did who remained faithful.

What do you see in this verse, and why is it these things in particular that can help us avoid pride? And, why can some maintian these qualities while those around them give in to pride?

What struck me was that sanctification came to those who yielded up their hearts to God. No mention of the Atonement (much less baptism) as being necessary to make one holy.

The OT provided holiness through the Law of Moses. The NT Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us forgiveness of sin toward our return to the Father.

If then I am sanctified and made holy without having utilized the Atonement, why is it I cannot return to God?

On the flip side, if I am saved by the Atonement, does pride prevent my access to the Father?

[Traveler]

Humility and overcoming pride are difficult if not impossible traits to master. The reason is because the very focus of an individual to achieve humility is counterproductive to achieving any degree of mastery. Thus it becomes a process of “letting go” rather than “getting” or “achieving”.

It is very easy to become attached to our things both real and imagined. Anciently one’s heart was not the organ that pumped blood and was associated with our “romantic” feelings. One’s heart was considered the “center” of one’s being or what we in modern times think of more as our gut. We can over ride our “emotions” by our “gut”. Perhaps it would be better to understand that our giving of our heart to G-d is not so much an emotional thing as it is what defines our center core self.

In our modern western civilization we do not pay much attention to our core self. We rely on “feelings” or intellect to determine who we are or our spiritual destiny. We do not learn much about our core self or our gut motivations. Many even fain the idea of “letting go” of the self or the; I want, I need or I must have to be happy parts of self that create so much of our motivations. Although we mostly see this problem among those with same sex attractions it is just as prevalent among the rest of us.

All we have is our core self. It is what makes us somebody - giving that or dedicating that to G-d is not something that can be acomplished while we are hanging on to anything we think necessary for our individual happiness.


The Traveler