Ego is a topic that came up the last two weeks in our group conversations. Two weeks ago, it was in relation to the parable of the sower. Our worries about life and the deceitfulness of wealth are like weeds that choke out the message God wants us to hear. And last week it was in relation to keeping our eyes on Jesus so we don’t sink like Peter started to do before Jesus saved him. Worries and an intense focus on striving for wealth can distract us from the message of Jesus. So today we’ll dig in a little deeper and discuss how we can suppress our ego in order to remove barriers between us and God.
For the purpose of this discussion, when we say “ego” we are referring to an over-inflated sense of our own self-importance. That is different than feeling good about ourselves which God wants us to do. He wants us to be at peace and rest easy knowing that all our needs will be provided and that He has a plan to prosper us (Jeremiah 29:11). But when we forget that and try to put ourselves in God’s place, taking the wheel from Him, we get in trouble.
That brings us to today’s verse which is from Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Ego (or pride) is something that people have struggled with forever, but I believe it may be a more difficult challenge today than it has ever been – and it is getting worse. Just looking at Facebook or Instagram (or any social media) for even a few minutes has been proven to make us feel worse, primarily because people post their best experiences which can make us want to match or exceed them. Additionally, advertisers have access to your search histories which is why you keep getting bombarded with ads for things you really want – and things that take more money to get.
Certainly there are many contributors to an inflated ego but I believe these two things (social media and advertising) are two of the most powerful forces that create a desire in us to make something good happen right now instead of patiently waiting for the blessings God has in store for us. This then drives us to want to take the wheel from God so that we fast-track the good things we think we deserve. That, in turn, drives us to want to make more money and, unfortunately, in some cases take shortcuts.
Suppressing the ego and managing pride is like running a marathon – it is a long, slow process that takes a lot of work. Hopefully, today’s lesson will at least help us recognize some of the core problems and take steps in the right direction.
Questions
- Why do you think the topic of ego keeps coming up in our group discussions?
- Do you agree that social media and advertising are major contributors to an over-inflated ego? Why or why not?
- Today’s verse says: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Why do you think pride or ego can cause destruction or a fall?
- How would you explain the idea that God wants us to suppress our ego but also wants us to feel great about ourselves?
- What are some habits or practices you can form or break that might help suppress ego?
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