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The Problem with "Self-Help Gurus" for Christians
Where Is Your Value Placed? In Your Achievement or His?
Coach T
June 21, 2023
When I was in college, I loved listening to guys like Jordan Peterson, Jocko Willink, and David Goggins speak. As a coach, I still enjoy hearing some of their discussions on mindset and motivation. They speak straight into the idea of self-improvement and taking ownership for your life. The self-help industry as a whole has seen a massive surge in popularity, especially with the rise of social media.
The message of self-improvment and determination is enticing. It’s helped many people build their life who are struggling. As I’ve continued to grow in faith, I’ve realized that this rising philosophy presents many pitfalls from a Christian perspective.
The self-help philosophy brings about self-idolatry. Its emphasis on personal achievement and self-greatness are the main focus. In the quest for greatness, we lose sight of humility. We make our life about ourselves. Now, this is concerning for Christians as the Bible repeatedly warns us against pride. We are told to walk humbly. In the midst of “striving for greatness”, many of us are striving for our own greatness so that our own chest can be pumped out with pride before others.
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
The self-help mentality contrasts our calling as Christians. When our pursuit of greatness is unchecked, it eventually will lead to self-worship. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3 to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
Now, don’t get me wrong - the pursuit of excellene is a noble thing to strive after. But we need to check why we are striving in the first place. The self-help philosophy insists that one’s value and identity are strictly linked to one’s personal achievement and success. We know as people of God that this is drastically opposed to our understanding of human worth. We bear the image of God, therefore our value is placed there. When it’s tied to your success or failure, your value changes. It ebs and flows with the ups and downs of success and failure. Since we are made in God’s image, we know that our value is tied with what Christ has done for us.
This stress on achievement leads to a distorted perception of who we are and what are life is to be about. When failure comes for many, worthlessness follows. That’s not where our worth is found! It’s found in being children of God who have been redeemed by Christ’s blood!
I’ll talk about the rise of “stoicism” tomorrow, and how the modern-day coping practices of it are dangerous to us as Christians.
To God be the Glory!
💭 QUOTE OF THE DAY
“He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only.”
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Loved this devotional from Lutheran Hour Ministries today. “Choose Your Master?”
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I pray that your day is full of reminders of God’s love and faithfulness. May you faithfully build your life on Christ.
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
To God be the glory,
Coach T