“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
1 Corinthians 13:4

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” 
1 Peter 5:5

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Internationally renowned spiritual author and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer was famous for saying that “ego” stands for “Edging God Out.” Is it any wonder, then, why our egos interfere with our ability to be kind and loving—everything God commands us to be? When our tender human frailties are at the wheel, our concern for self is utmost. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit on a consistent basis. 

If we’re not careful, our ego can run our lives. Peeking its head out at every opportunity, lurking behind every conversation, waiting to be triggered at the slightest offense. It has one singular goal—self-preservation, by any means necessary. It has no beneficent concern for other people and definitely no interest in being humbled. Ego and selfless love for others cannot coexist. When we function from our egos, inevitably, we fall into the trap of comparison, which often leads to envy.

How does ego show up in your life? What form does it take? It might be a desire to be right, or maybe a desire to control. At its worst, it drives us away from God, for “in his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (Psalm 10:4). However it manifests, we must “catch it” as soon as it’s triggered so that in its place, we can invite the Holy Spirit to display the fruit of the Spirit in us instead. 

Whereas ego inflates our self-importance, the love Jesus taught does the opposite, encouraging us to focus on others. As 1 Corinthians 10:24 teaches us, “no one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” Is this easy? By no means. But this is part of what it means to carry our cross daily. The more we shed our ego’s influence, the lighter our cross becomes and the more we begin to reflect our Maker. God should never be edged out. He deserves to occupy every square inch of our lives. May it be so.

Next Steps

Take some time to reflect on how and when ego shows up in your day-to-day life. Then, put “guardrails” in place to keep it from manifesting. These can be in the form of prayer, fasting, worship, or reading God’s Word.