Devotionals by Dr. James Dobson
The Pride Roadblock
“I hate pride and arrogance.” - Proverbs 8:13
In the middle of your highway to forgiveness there may be a giant roadblock called pride. You know in your heart that you offended your wife with that comment about her body, or her intelligence, or her family. You realize you hurt your husband with that remark about his selfishness or his waste of money. But something is keeping you from admitting wrong and seeking forgiveness. Even though you know you’re guilty, you can’t get the words out of your mouth. At best you can mumble, “I’m sorry,” but you don’t really want to know if your partner heard you.
Pride is terribly destructive to human relationships. It may be the sin that God hates most, because there are more than one hundred references to it in Scripture. Proverbs 6:17–19 describes seven things that God finds detestable, and the first one on the list is “a proud look.” If you or your mate have a haughty attitude that prevents you from seeking forgiveness and reconciling, it will damage your marriage. We encourage you to swallow your pride and talk to your spouse. Once you’ve done that, why not clear one more roadblock and seek the Lord’s forgiveness for your prideful heart?
Just between us . . .
• Has my pride kept us apart in the past? How?
• In what ways has swallowing our pride blessed us in the past?
• How can we break down the roadblock of pride on our way to a stronger relationship?
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of humility and mercy. Forgive us for our stubborn, prideful treatment of each other. We want to change. Help us to lay aside pride, admit wrongs, and humbly ask for forgiveness. Amen.
Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com. For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.
This devotional is taken from Night Light for Couples. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
About Dr. Dobson Minute
Family Talk is a Christian non-profit organization located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 2010 by Dr. James Dobson, the ministry promotes and teaches biblical principles that support marriage, family, and child-development. Since its inception, Family Talk has served millions of families with broadcasts, monthly newsletters, feature articles, videos, blogs, books and other resources available on demand via its website, mobile apps, and social media platforms.
The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI) is a Christian non-profit ministry located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded initially as Family Talk in 2010 by Dr. James Dobson, the organization promotes and teaches biblical principles that support marriage, family, and child development. Since its inception, Family Talk has served families with broadcasts, monthly newsletters, feature articles, videos, blogs, books, and other resources available on demand via their website, mobile apps, and social media platforms. In 2017, the ministry rebranded under JDFI to expand its four core ministry divisions consisting of the Family Talk radio broadcast, the Dobson Policy and Education Centers, and the Dobson Digital Library.
Dr. Dobson's flagship broadcast called, “Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk," is aired on more than 1,500 terrestrial radio outlets and numerous digital channels that reach millions each month.
About Dr. James Dobson
Dr. James Dobson is the Founder Chairman of the James Dobson Family Institute, a nonprofit organization that produces his radio program, “Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk.” He has an earned Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and holds 18 honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of more than 70 books dedicated to the preservation of the family including, The New Dare to Discipline, Love for a Lifetime, Life on the Edge, Love Must Be Tough, The New Strong-Willed Child, When God Doesn't Make Sense, Bringing Up Boys, Bringing Up Girls, and, most recently, Your Legacy: The Greatest Gift. Dr. Dobson served as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years and on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years in the divisions of Child Development and Medical Genetics. He has advised five U.S. presidents and served on eight national commissions. Dr. Dobson has been married to Shirley for 64 years, and they have two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and two grandchildren.
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