The Subtle Pride of Spiritual Beginners

When people first begin their spiritual journey, they’re often full of passion and commitment. They pray often, attend church regularly, read Scripture, and eagerly pursue God. These are good things—but hidden within all that devotion can be a dangerous root: pride.

Because beginners are experiencing such intense spiritual growth, they often start to feel proud of it. Even though the things of God naturally lead to humility, their spiritual immaturity leads them to take secret satisfaction in how “holy” they feel. They might begin to compare themselves to others, thinking, “Why don’t they pray like I do? Why aren’t they as devoted?” Sometimes, they’ll even speak this aloud. In this, they unknowingly become like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable, who praised God not out of gratitude, but to feel superior to the tax collector beside him.

When the Devil Uses Fervour

The enemy is clever. He doesn’t always try to make beginners sin in obvious ways. Sometimes he encourages their zeal—just enough to twist it. He fuels their passion so it swells into pride, making them feel spiritually elite. But instead of growing in virtue, they start performing for approval. They want others to see how spiritual they are. They judge others who don’t seem as “on fire” as they are. They may even gossip or criticize people who worship or serve differently. In this state, they’re blind to their own flaws while obsessing over others’.

They often feel misunderstood by spiritual mentors who gently challenge them. If a pastor or spiritual guide doesn’t affirm their approach or enthusiasm, they may assume their leader is “less spiritual” or just “doesn’t get it.” They’ll often seek out people who will admire their spiritual life, and avoid those who might call them deeper into humility or correction. Sometimes, they even resent the people who try to help them grow.

Performing Spirituality

They might start to dramatize their devotion—sighing, weeping, or using spiritual-sounding language—not just for God, but to be seen as spiritual by others. They may fall into emotional displays, sometimes even believing these experiences are from God when they’re just self-fueled or, at times, subtly influenced by the enemy.

Some become overly attached to their confessors or mentors, seeking favoritism or approval. They may hide their real sins out of fear of being judged, and instead exaggerate their strengths. They want to appear better than they are, when true humility would lead them to be transparent and unconcerned with how others see them.

When they do sin or fail, they become overly discouraged—not because they’ve offended God, but because their image of themselves has been shattered. They wanted to be saints already. So their frustration isn’t always holy—it’s often rooted in ego. Their prayers for God to take away their weaknesses are more about personal comfort than about love for God. If He answered those prayers too quickly, it might actually make them even more proud.

They don’t like hearing praise for others, but they do like receiving it for themselves. They may even seek out compliments in subtle ways—much like the foolish virgins who, unprepared, had to borrow oil from others when the bridegroom came.

When Pride Becomes a Pattern

These imperfections can grow over time if unchecked. Some souls only experience mild versions of them; others fall more deeply into the trap. It’s rare to find beginners who don’t stumble into these at some point. And this is exactly why God allows the soul to enter the dark night—to free it from these false forms of spirituality and burn away the pride that quietly clings to good works.

The Path of Humility

But not all beginners walk this way. Some—rare though they are—grow through humility rather than pride. They are eager to serve God, but they aren’t impressed with themselves. The more they grow, the more they realize how far they still have to go. They are inspired by others, never jealous. They think well of everyone else, and very little of themselves. If others praise them, they’re confused—“Why would anyone think that of me?”

They’re open to correction and grateful for guidance. They don’t try to teach others but remain hungry to learn. If asked to change direction, they’re willing. They rarely talk about their own spiritual experiences, not because they’re hiding them, but because they don’t find them particularly important. Instead, they’re more comfortable talking about their sins and weaknesses, and they tend to seek out people who don’t flatter them.

This kind of soul is quiet, simple, honest—and incredibly pleasing to God. Because they have emptied themselves, the Holy Spirit fills them with His wisdom and virtue. And where pride shuts God out, humility draws Him close.

They will give everything they have to help others follow Christ. When they fall, they don’t spiral into despair; they turn to God with meekness, hope, and trust. They know that everything good comes from Him—and so they are not surprised by their own flaws. These humble souls are rare, but precious. And it’s these souls that God calls deeper still—into the purifying night where His love can remake them completely.