I’m reminded of what we read in Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR ME?”  The Lord can even control the elements as it was said of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 8:27, “But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that EVEN THE WINDS AND THE SEA OBEY HIM!”  The Lord is able to do things far beyond what we can even imagine according to Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now unto him that is able to do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Our all-powerful, all knowing, all loving God wants to meet our needs.  We read in 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  This verse emphasizes the Lord’s power and His love.  We can give Him all our cares because He has power to meet those needs and He has love for us that moves Him to meet our needs. 

Narcissism is defined as “a personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.”  The Mayo Clinic says that “Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a mental health condition.”  While I’m certainly no doctor, I see the traits of desiring attention and feeling important being in all of us in varying degrees.  Perhaps some with severe narcissistic behavior might benefit from good Christian counseling, but the seed of pride is in each one of us.  It was pride that caused Lucifer to rebel against God with a desire to “be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-15).  It was pride that caused Eve to give into the temptation that the serpent presented her with as we read in Genesis 3:6, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”  In the eating of the forbidden fruit, Eve exhibited what is written in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the LUST OF THE FLESH, and the LUST OF THE EYES, and the PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

In his great wisdom (as led of the Lord), Solomon warned us that, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18).  In Proverbs 6:16-19, the Lord tells about seven things that are an abomination to Him.  One is a ‘proud look.’  The Lord gives us the responsibility, and therefore the ability to humble ourselves.  “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10).  We absolutely cannot be proper servants of the Lord if we walk in pride.  The Lord Jesus warns us in Matthew 23:12, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

If you detect the spirit of pride, or narcissism in yourself, I encourage you to confess this sin of pride to the Lord (read 1 John 1:9).  Of course, pray and ask the Father to give you a humble heart so that you might live a life of meek obedience and service to Himself. In David’s great prayer of confession, he earnestly prayed, “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:9-10).  May the Lord grant you a clean heart.  May He cleanse you from all unrighteousness as you sincerely confess this sin to the Lord.  I hesitate to call narcissism a sickness.  When we do that, we relieve ourselves of any responsibility for our actions.  The world would have us to simply accept that this is normal behavior for some.  I trust you can see beyond this rhetoric and recognize the sin of pride for what it is and find relief by confessing this sin to the Lord and seeking humility at His loving hands.  (CC)  (725.4)