Do We Have an "I" Problem? A Christian Devotional on Pride and Surrender

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Dedad used to tell me that people had an "I" problem when I was a kid.

At first, I thought he meant they had a vision problem or something. Maybe they needed glasses. Maybe they could not see right. In a way, I guess that was true, but not the way I understood it back then.

What he meant was that some people talk about themselves all the time. They are always focused on themselves, defending themselves, promoting themselves, and making sure everybody knows what they want, what they think, and what they deserve.

That little phrase stuck with me: an "I" problem.

The older I get, the more I realize how biblical that warning really was. The "I" problem is not just a personality quirk. It is a spiritual problem. It is the root of pride, rebellion, self-will, and a life centered around something other than God.

And here is the hard question: how much of our Christian life is still built around "I"?

The "I Will" Spirit

When we look at the fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14, we see the language of self-will on full display:

"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God..." (Isaiah 14:13 KJV)

"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:14 KJV)

There it is. "I will." "I will." "I will."

That is the voice of pride. That is the spirit that wants the throne but not the cross. It wants the glory but not surrender. It wants elevation without obedience.

We can look at Satan and say, "How wicked," and we should. But then we need to let the Scripture turn into a mirror. How often do we live from the same root?

I will be seen.

I will be right.

I will have my way.

I will protect my image.

I will not forgive.

I will not humble myself.

That is the "I" problem. It may dress itself up in religious language, but the root is still self on the throne.

Jesus Shows Us the Opposite Spirit

Now contrast that with Jesus in the garden.

On the way to the cross, Jesus prayed:

"Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42 KJV)

There is the difference.

Satan says, "I will."

Jesus says, "Not my will."

That one contrast will preach all by itself. The kingdom of darkness is built on self-will. The Kingdom of God is entered through surrender.

Jesus did not pretend the cup was easy. He did not put on a fake religious smile and act like obedience cost nothing. He brought His agony before the Father, but He surrendered His will. That is the pattern for us.

Real Christianity is not God becoming the servant of my agenda. It is me laying down my agenda at the feet of Jesus.

This is where a lot of modern Christianity gets twisted. We turn prayer into a way to get God to bless our self-will. We use faith language to baptize ambition. We ask God to promote plans we never submitted to Him in the first place.

But Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10 KJV).

Not my brand.

Not my ego.

Not my platform.

Not my religious performance.

Thy will be done.

How the "I" Problem Shows Up

The "I" problem is sneaky. It does not always look like obvious arrogance. Sometimes it looks spiritual. Sometimes it hides behind ministry. Sometimes it hides behind hurt.

Here are a few ways it can show up:

  • We talk more about ourselves than Jesus.
  • We are quick to defend ourselves but slow to repent.
  • We need to be noticed when we serve.
  • We cannot receive correction without getting offended.
  • We make prayer mostly about our desires.
  • We use Scripture to win arguments instead of surrendering to truth.
  • We obey only when obedience agrees with what we already wanted.
  • We measure spiritual maturity by activity instead of humility.

That last one matters. A person can be busy in religious things and still be full of self. We can do ministry from the wrong root. We can be around the things of God while still protecting the throne of self.

John the Baptist had the right spirit when he said:

"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 KJV)

That is not a popular message in a culture obsessed with self-promotion. But it is Kingdom.

The Spirit of This Age Is Self

We are living in a time where self is almost worshiped.

Self-expression. Self-identity. Self-care. Self-promotion. Self-made. Self-truth. Self-esteem. Some of those phrases may contain a grain of something useful, but without the lordship of Jesus, they become another altar to self.

The Bible does not call us to find ourselves as the highest goal. Jesus said:

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23 KJV)

That is not complicated, but it is costly.

Deny himself.

Take up his cross daily.

Follow Jesus.

The flesh hates that. Religious pride hates that. The world hates that. But Jesus said it plainly.

Following Jesus is not adding Him to a self-centered life. It is surrendering the self-centered life so He can truly be Lord.

A Practical Test

Here is a simple test I am asking myself, and I invite you to ask it too:

When I talk, pray, post, serve, or make decisions, who is at the center?

Is it Jesus?

Or is it me?

That question will reveal a lot. Sometimes the Holy Spirit does not need to give us a complicated prophetic word. Sometimes He just puts His finger on one motive and says, "There. Deal with that."

And we should be thankful when He does. Conviction is mercy. Correction is love. The Father is not trying to shame us. He is trying to free us from the prison of self.

Pride is bondage. Self-will is bondage. Constantly needing to be seen, heard, defended, and validated is exhausting. There is freedom in surrender.

Action Items

Do not just hear this. Do something with it.

  1. Listen to your own words for one day. How often do you steer conversations back to yourself? Do you talk more about your opinions, wounds, and victories than about Jesus?

  2. Pray Luke 22:42 slowly. Say, "Father, not my will, but thine, be done." Then pause long enough for the Holy Spirit to bring something specific to mind.

  3. Write down one area of self-will. It may be a relationship, a ministry desire, a habit, a grudge, or a decision you have not submitted to God.

  4. Practice hidden obedience. Do something for someone this week without announcing it, posting it, or making sure you get credit.

  5. Receive correction without defending yourself. The next time someone points something out, resist the urge to immediately explain. Take it to prayer first.

  6. Make John 3:30 a daily confession. "He must increase, but I must decrease." Let that become more than a verse. Let it become a way of life.

Final Challenge

Dedad was right. People can have an "I" problem.

But this is not just about other people. It is about me. It is about you. It is about every one of us who follows Jesus in a world that constantly tells us to enthrone ourselves.

The spirit of antichrist says, "I will."

The Spirit of Christ teaches us to pray, "Not my will, but thine, be done."

That is the choice in front of us.

If we are focusing on ourselves and talking about ourselves all the time, maybe we have an "I" problem that needs to be dealt with. Not managed. Not excused. Dealt with at the cross.

Let Jesus take the throne again.

Dig deeper and go higher.

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