In my opinion, nowadays, we are living in a culture centered on the self, a culture that feeds the ego.
This affects us all in some way.
For example, one of the reasons I decided to leave social media, where I once had a certain degree of popularity, was because I understood that it was contributing to my ego problems.
Yes, I also had ego problems, and maybe I still do, but to a lesser degree.
I thank God because it is a subject in which He has helped me improve a lot.
Today, I would like to share with you one of the keys that have helped me overcome ego problems.
The most important one.
Bible Story about overcoming ego
We find this key in the Bible story of Daniel, which I am studying these days.
As we have said in previous days in other blog posts, while Daniel was in exile in Babylon, the king of the empire had a dream that greatly disturbed him.
Since he could not get his wise men and soothsayers to state the matter and the interpretation of it, he decreed all the wise men of the Babylonian empire be executed.
Among them, Daniel and his friends.
When Daniel found out about this, he requested time to be able to interpret the mystery.
After it was granted, he set out to pray with his friends that God would reveal the dream and its interpretation to them.
Let’s see what the Bible says happened, which I consider is the key to overcoming our ego problems:
During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision.
Then Daniel praised the God of heaven (…).
The king asked Daniel (…),
“Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation (…)
| Daniel 2:19; 26 – 28
The Bible’s secret to overcoming ego problems
Dear reader, in Daniel’s attitude to these events, we see the bible’s secret to overcoming ego problems.
In that complex moment, Daniel could have chosen to feel special.
After all, no one in the entire Babylonian empire, one of the greatest of ancient times, had been able to meet the king’s demand.
But he did.
Perhaps he might have thought that somehow he had spiritual privileges because he was a very holy and upright man.
To think that God held him in higher esteem or position than his friends on his own merits.
What’s more, at that time he was being the hero of the empire.
Saving perhaps hundreds or thousands of lives from the capricious hands of the king.
Daniel could easily have focused on himself and fed his ego.
As we say in my country, Daniel could have “believed the last Coca-Cola in the desert.”
Instead, however, he took himself out of the equation and praised God.
As soon as he had the vision, he praised God and gave Him the credit.
When he stood before the king, he declared that it was not he who revealed the interpretation of the dream, but the true God.
Daniel never allowed himself to see himself, or his skills or capabilities, as the source of his successes.
He always looked up from him to heaven and understood that all of these were God’s mercies.
He understood that he was nothing more than a means that God was using to fulfill his eternal purposes.
Anything good in us comes from God
This story teaches us that to overcome ego problems, we need to accept the reality that it is God, not us, who does good.
That it is his love and mercy that endows us with life and capabilities to do anything.
And that, to Him, we owe all that we are and all that we have.
The moment we understand that, we will have defeated our ego.
After all, the hammer cannot feel exceptional, as it cannot do anything without the hands of the carpenter.
We are an instrument in the hands of a God of love.
Let us always remember that.
I hope these words have blessed your life.
What do you think? Do you have ego problems that you need to overcome? What is your experience? Share in the comments.
If you need help, advice, a helping hand, or an ear to listen to you. If you simply want to chat, write to us an email at contacto@soysegundo.com. It will be our privilege to be in touch.
A hug, God bless you.
