How to Beat the Pride Cycle

There exists a concept, known as the Pride Cycle, that outlines a common behavior among people. At the top of this cycle, we start with “prosperity.” As prosperity continues, it turns into “pride,” which will lead to “sin.” Sin leads to “destruction,” destruction to “sorrow,” and sorrow to “humility.” Humility leads one to “repentance,” repentance brings “blessings,” and blessings turn into “prosperity” once again, at which point we continue the cycle. To gain a better understanding of this cycle, one need only look in the book of Helaman found in The Book of Mormon, where the pride cycle spins so quickly among the people of Nephi that it would be comical if it were not so sad and disheartening.

But for the pride cycle to be of any worth, we must look at it within our own lives. How easy is it for us to forget our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ when things are going well? Unfortunately, it can be too easy to focus entirely on our contribution to such success; this can lead to pride, and you know the rest from there. When I was younger, I used to look at the cycle and mourn the fact that I was doomed to destruction before I could return to the prosperity part. Well guess what? It doesn't have to be that way. The pride cycle, as it turns out, has a short cut that leads straight from “prosperity” to “humility.” When we remember to acknowledge our Heavenly Father’s large contribution to our prosperity, and are humbled by it, we can skip the entire ugly half of the cycle. This type of life is not easy, but it is the one we must work at if we desire to stand worthily in the presence of God someday.

Unfortunately there must be opposition in all things, and as it turns out there exists a short cut from “sorrow” to “pride” as well. I cannot imagine how painful it must be to become stuck on this sort of cycle. I would never want to end on a bad note however, so I will let you in on a little piece of information: you can stop circling the bad end of the cycle any time you like; just stop where you are, and cut straight to humility. When pride starts to creep into your life, don’t let it continue – cut straight to humility and avoid the sin, destruction, and sorrow.

If this option seems too good, too merciful, it’s probably because it is. But that is the way our Heavenly Father works. He loves every one of his children with more love than any of us can comprehend, so much so that he sent his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to complete what we call the Atonement, that we might stand a chance of being like our Heavenly Father one day. Now that is a reason for humility.