7 Causes of Pride: How to be More Humble!

The causes of pride run deeper than heated arrogance, the need to be right, or self-importance. Pride often begins as protection—a way to survive insecurity, emotional pain, rejection, fear, or shame. When our hearts feel unsafe, we build walls to appear strong, perfect, and in control. Instead of allowing God to heal these wounds, we rely on ourselves, and over time, this self-protection turns into pride.

Pride is a mask that hides our insecurities and makes us feel powerful when we actually feel afraid, unseen, or unworthy inside. Pride doesn’t always look like pride. It can appear in small, everyday ways—avoiding help, pretending we’re fine, hiding weakness, or proving our value through achievement, knowledge, vanity, control, or even “loving” beyond our capacity.

Insecurity often fuels pride’s quiet roots. When we don’t feel enough, we start to need to be better than others just to feel secure. We compare, put others down, or condemn in subtle ways to protect our fragile sense of worth. To those around us, it can come out as control, arrogance, or a superior attitude—but underneath it all is often fear and unhealed pain.

Many people will even seek to gain the whole world—to look powerful, successful, and amazing in the eyes of others—but in doing so, they lose their soul (Mark 8:36). Pride convinces us that the world’s comforts, treasures, and approval can fill what only God’s love can heal.

Sometimes we over-give, over-function, or push ourselves to love and work harder than we should, trying to earn approval or acceptance. We don’t always realize we’re doing it; we just want to feel safe, capable, or respected. Beneath these habits is often the fear of being exposed, rejected, or “not enough.”

Pride Hides in Our Hearts

That’s what makes pride so deceptive. The above mentioned behaviors may seem harmless on the surface, but pride quietly leaks from the heart and shape how we love, respond, and relate to others. Even without words, people can sense our self-serving intentions and “puffed-up attitude.” Pride can make those around us feel:

• Like their opinions don’t matter
• Inferior, insecure, or “not good enough”
• Dismissed, disregarded, or judged
• Pressured to shrink or stay quiet to avoid conflict
• Caught in competition, where connection turns into comparison or power struggles

Pride also closes us off to hearing other perspectives and limits our ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes. Over time, this blindness hardens our hearts, damages relationships, and distances us from peace and intimacy with God.

Pride Blinds Us

Pride blinds us to our own motives while making us quick to judge others, as Jesus explains in Matthew 7:3-6. Yet God sees the heart, not just outward appearances. While the world values success, vanity, power, and self-promotion, God honors humility and a heart that serves rather than seeks to be first. In His Kingdom, those who humble themselves will be lifted up, and those who try to elevate themselves will be brought low. The last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matthew 23:12,Mark 10:31)

As you explore the seven causes of pride in great detail below, let the Holy Spirit reveal what might be hiding behind your defenses—so pride can be replaced with humility, healing, and grace.

If You Struggle With Pride…

If you recognize pride in yourself, don’t be ashamed. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person—it likely means you’ve been seeing the world through your own limited perspective (Isaiah 55:8-9), you’re unsure of how to trust God, and you’re trying to protect a part of yourself that feels unsafe. With practical steps and the power of God, you can break free.

Take the full quiz to explore all 30 signs: Am I struggling with pride?

7 Root Causes of Pride

If you grow in these seven areas it will help you to overcome pride and be more humble.

#1 Fear of Vulnerability.

Vulnerability means opening up the fragile core of who we are. It’s the part we often want to hide because opening it up feels like risking judgment, rejection, or deep pain. To protect ourselves, we cover what we want to hide with success, control, clothes, humor, intelligence, spiritual language, and even clothes (like Adam and Eve) —anything that makes us appear strong and keeps others from seeing our true selves.

When we feel criticized, judged, or unsafe, we instinctively defend ourselves. We push others away, argue, or act like we don’t need help. This protective behavior becomes pride: a way to hide our fears, weakness, and deep need for love, convincing us that we must rely on ourselves because no one—including God—can keep us safe.

But hiding doesn’t just protect us from pain; it also blocks love, healing, help, and connection. When being open feels unsafe, we shut down, keeping others—and even God—at a distance.

Related Quiz: What is your vulnerability style?

#2 Lack of Safety

Have you ever been in a place where your true self is met with judgment, criticism, or rejection? Where instead of encouragement, you face constant put-downs or misunderstanding? Pride can grow in these moments—not just from fear, but as a way to protect yourself. It gives the appearance of strength or control, hiding the feelings of weakness, insignificance, or voicelessness beneath.

When we are repeatedly hurt or judged in unsafe environments, we begin to learn this protective behavior. We stay on guard—ready for battle even when no one is fighting—and over time, this self-protection becomes pride: a refusal to let others in or risk being vulnerable again.

That’s why it’s so important to guard your heart—not by shutting everyone out, but by choosing to surround yourself with safe, trustworthy people. Only then can your heart begin to heal and your defenses slowly come down. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

#3 Low self-esteem.

Low self-esteem is at the heart of much pride and arrogance. It’s rooted in feelings of shame, guilt, and not being good enough—emotions we try to cover up. To mask these, we put on a confident front to convince others—and ourselves—that we’re okay. But underneath, self-doubt and insecurity remain.

You can have success, status, or possessions, but if low self-esteem isn’t healed, you’ll always need more to feel confident or to be seen the way you want. This struggle to be seen as strong or perfect makes it hard to admit mistakes, accept help, or say sorry. You might blame others, boast,  struggle with vanity, or try to control situations just to feel worthy. You may stay stuck in unhealthy patterns because you believe you alone must fix things.

Remember, your worth isn’t measured by achievements or others’ opinions. True confidence and humility come from embracing who you are in God’s eyes—not from pretending to be flawless.

Related Article: 12 Characteristics Of A Prideful Heart

#4 Overfunctioning and control.

Trying to fix everything on my own was often rooted in pride. I used to believe subconsciously, I had this almost God-like ability to heal broken people with my love and effort—but love alone isn’t enough if someone doesn’t love themselves enough to begin their own healing journey. I brought that same mindset into work, convinced I was the only one who could fix things. I ignored toxic systems, mistreatments, and silently judged those who couldn’t handle it the way I thought I could.

Later, I realized my strength and drive wasn’t just noble—it came from pride, people-pleasing, and a need to feel in control. It gave me a false sense of purpose but left me drained and anxious. Sadly, my body showed signs of that anxiety—in stress, illness, fear, and more—long before I even connected the dots.

Pride will have you overfunctioning in unhealthy places because it convinces you that you can and should handle it all. It blurs the line between strength and burnout—making it hard to recognize when something is simply too much. 

Related Article: How to Deal With a Prideful Man or Prideful Woman

#5 Fear of powerlessness.

Pride can stop us from accepting or asking for help because deep down, we fear feeling powerless, exposed, or out of control. We may believe that needing others makes us weak or less capable. But the truth is, we were never meant to do life alone.

Allowing yourself to be vulnerable and open to help doesn’t make you powerless—it makes you human. Trusted people like therapists, mentors, pastors, or even financial advisors can offer support in areas where you’re struggling. And one day, the healing you receive will empower you to support others in return.

Pride can also appear as false humility—avoiding attention, downplaying your strengths, or deflecting compliments—not because you’re truly humble, but because you fear being seen as prideful. This fear often comes from a deep sense of powerlessness and a need to stay in control. By shrinking back, we try to protect ourselves from feeling exposed or weak. True humility, however, isn’t about hiding; it’s about being secure enough to be seen, to grow, and to receive support despite our imperfections.

Related Article: 26 Examples of Pride in the Bible

#6 Impossible standards of perfection.

Others might see you as flawless—successful, powerful, confident, godly, intelligent, or deeply masculine/feminine—but beneath the surface, you may still wrestle with insecurity, shame, or fear of not being enough. To protect yourself, you maintain the image of perfection, which can isolate you from genuine connection.

This drive for perfection can also turn into subtle judgment: highlighting others’ flaws, comparing yourself to them, or feeling temporarily superior. While it may feel like “winning,” over time it pushes people away, leaving them feeling small, unseen, or judged in your presence.

Many societal systems—racism, sexism, nationalism, xenophobia, classism, anti-Semitism, political parties, the education system, etc.—feed this drive for perfection. They divide people into categories, rank worth, and portray one group as more pure, perfect, or righteous. These man-made hierarchies allow some to feel powerful while keeping others negatively stereotyped, undervalued, marginalized, and belittled.

Pride has been stirring up chaos in the Church since the beginning of time. Some Baptists feel they’re more biblically sound than Charismatics. Meanwhile, some Charismatics feel they’re more in tune with the heart and power of God. But can’t we see that both are needed? Most denominations carry a piece of God’s character. Why not work together in balance and humility, instead of letting Satan’s pride trap keep dividing us?

When people start to believe they’re more loved by God, more anointed, more intelligent, or more powerful than others, they’ve completely missed the heart of the Gospel. Like Jonah, we can sometimes think God’s love is only for the perfect—or only for certain people—but Jesus didn’t die so we could compare who’s more spiritual (Luke 22:24-30). He died to set us free from the sins that come from legalism (Pharisee Vs. Pagans), perfectionism, and self-righteousness. The truth? None of us can be obedient without the Holy Spirit. We’re all blind in some area. We all need God’s mercy. And we all have equal access to His love and power—no one is better than the next.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are…” 1 Corinthians 1:26-28

#7 Ignorantly, thinking we know everything.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we have all the answers. We feel confident in our perspective, certain we’re “right,” and assume we understand the situations, struggles, or choices of others. We may judge someone’s life or decisions, believing we would never end up in their position because we’ve made all the “correct” choices.

But life is rarely so simple. People carry experiences, pain, and histories that shape their actions in ways we cannot fully grasp. True wisdom recognizes the limits of our knowledge and the uniqueness of every situation.

In the story of Job, his friends assumed his suffering was punishment for sin. They judged without understanding, yet God rebuked them—showing that He alone knew Job’s heart and journey. Even the most humble man on earth endured immense pain, reminding us that righteousness and humility don’t exempt anyone from trials. Thinking we know better than others or that we always have the right answers is a form of pride. Prosperity-focused teachings can reinforce this, suggesting that a “perfect” Christian life equals godliness, when in reality, even the faithful face struggles (John 16:33).

God sees the full path—our struggles, limitations, and past decisions—and offers grace, wisdom, and a way forward. I once coached a woman facing daily harm. From my perspective, I thought she should simply move—but her reality was far more complex. My advice alone wasn’t enough. I prayed for God’s guidance and provision, trusting Him to open a path. A few months later, He did. This reminded me that no matter how certain we feel, we cannot fully know the journeys of others—or even the full path forward for ourselves—without God’s wisdom.

So don’t assume you know it all. Be slow to speak, open to listening, and quick to seek God’s perspective. As Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God’s understanding surpasses ours—He knows the heart, the journey, and the path toward redemption in ways we cannot.

Related Article: Dying To Self: 4 Tips To Crucify the Flesh!

7 Steps To Overcome Pride

These seven steps will help you confront and overcome pride at the root and walk in true humility.

1. Accept the blood of Christ. Self-help tools can only take you so far. True transformation begins when you receive the healing power of Jesus Christ. Pride is a spiritual wound—and only God can fully restore what’s broken. You can’t fix yourself alone. You must have faith that His grace will carry you.
2. Stop trying to prove others wrong. Let them think what they want. If they misunderstand you or judge your heart—release it. Keep moving forward. God defends the humble. In time, He will silence the noise and elevate you in the right way, at the right time.
3. Don’t try to do everything by yourself. Ask for help. Seek advice. Pride says, “I got it.” Wisdom says, “Let me learn from someone else’s mistakes.” You don’t lose value by leaning on others—you gain protection, insight, and support. Want help addressing pride? I can help you! Try 20 mins of Empowerment Coaching now!
4. Don’t try to be better than others. Everyone is navigating their own battles. You don’t have to prove your worth by being stronger or smarter. Instead, use your strengths to serve and uplift others. Pride competes. Love collaborates.
5. A prideful heart must be purified. You can’t “perform” your way out of pride. The deeper healing comes from allowing God to expose and cleanse the emotions underneath—like fear, shame, and selfishness. Real humility comes from the inside out. 
6. Learn to love yourself. When you heal from insecurity, you stop pretending to be perfect. You stop hiding behind pride and start living in purpose. Knowing who you are in Christ helps you walk humbly without shrinking or boasting.
7. Stop being so hard on yourself. You’re allowed to be human. When you fall short, don’t spiral. Repent, learn, and try again tomorrow. Grace gives you permission to grow—without shame and without fear.

Read Full Article: 7 Steps to Overcome Pride

30 Signs of Pride

Many people don’t realize they struggle with pride — they just know they feel isolated, defensive, or misunderstood. Do any of these feel familiar?

• I worry that people will notice my flaws and judge me for them.
• I sometimes twist situations to make others seem at fault (blame-shifting).
• I avoid feeling guilt or shame at all costs.
• I believe people will regret it if they don’t take my advice.
• When I disagree with someone, I tend to assume they’re being emotional or irrational.
• I pretend I’m fine even when I’m struggling inside.
• I assume I’d be the first to notice if something was wrong with me.
• I find it hard to trust or listen to authority figures or leaders.
• I do things to make sure others think highly of me (people-pleasing)
• I get jealous when someone seems better than me.
• I feel like if I don’t fix something, no one else will.
• I often point out others’ flaws or mistakes.
• I believe I deserve more because I work hard and do the “right” things (entitlement).

Take the full quiz to explore all 30 signs:Am I struggling with pride?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What Is the definition of pride?
As Insight Into the Scriptures notes, pride is an inflated sense of superiority in talent, beauty, righteousness, intelligence, wealth, or status, fostering entitlement, arrogance, and a life that excludes God. At its core, the root causes of pride are self-reliance: trusting our own wisdom, effort, or emotions more than God’s.

Q: What are the signs of a prideful person?
Pride can show up in many sneaky ways—like insecurity, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. It’s not always loud or arrogant. Sometimes it looks like secretly comparing, judging, or needing control to feel safe and valuable. Pride often masks deep wounds and unmet needs. (Read more here: 38 Signs Of Pride In A Person)

Q: Is pride really a sin?
Yes, pride is a sin because it pulls us away from dependence on God and to believe we have the power (control, manipulation, self-protection, hyper independence). It creates division, fuels judgment, and makes us believe we’re better than others. Pride aligns more with Satan’s mindset than Christ’s humility. The sin of pride causes us to partner with Satan’s plan to destroy others to feel better. It blocks healing and intimacy—with God and people.

Related Article: 4+ Ways To Defeat Unwanted Thoughts (15+ Bible Verses)

Q: What are examples of pride in the Bible?
Pharaoh’s refusal to listen, Saul’s self-righteousness, Jonah’s entitlement, and Eve’s desire to “be like God” all led to destruction. Each story reveals how pride can blind us and break us. But they also show God’s mercy when we turn back in humility. (Read more here: 26 Examples of Pride in the Bible)

Q: What does the Bible say about pride?
Scripture is clear: “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18), and “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Pride deceives us into thinking we don’t need God. But humility positions us to receive grace and grow.

Q: Can religious pride hurt the church?
Yes, deeply. When denominations think they carry more truth or closeness to God than others, pride gets in the way of unity. Baptists, Charismatics, and every group reflect different parts of God’s heart. We need each other. Pride divides. Humility builds the Body.

Q: How do I overcome pride?
Ask God to gently reveal the areas where pride has taken root. Be open to feedback, admit when you’re wrong, and practice surrender. Pride tries to prove. Humility receives. Let God heal the parts of you that feel unworthy, so you don’t have to hide behind pride.