Welcome.

I used to think that the “pride cycle” was an unavoidable part of mortal life, that it constituted the sequence of living, that even for striving saints, it was part of the process of making one’s way in a fallen world with a mortal body.

I now know differently.

You know the oft seen and oft lived pattern: prosperity, blessings and righteousness – pride, sin and wickedness – destruction, suffering, and sorrow – humility and repentance.

The blessings and prosperity that come when we are righteous are a consequence. The destruction and suffering that come when we are wicked are a consequence.

But the other cycle stuff – 100% choice.

Consequences come in domino fall fashion upon the heels of choice. Choice is the harbinger to joy or misery.

If we are not constantly yielding to daily repentance which brings humility before the Father, we have this downward trajectory to look forward to (there is powerful evidence in the Book of Mormon):

Contention

Persecution of others  

Withholding from the poor

Mocking the sacred

Denying the Spirit

Boasting in one’s own strength

Lying and cheating

Murdering and plundering

Haven’t you seen this transpire with people who have stepped away from covenant living and belonging? Such a descending spiral!

Conversely, take note of the upward ascent of ongoing righteousness in prosperity:

Humility

Seeking the Lord’s guidance

Receiving personal revelation

Following promptings

Experiencing blessings

A desire to bless others

Serving and blessing others

Experiencing joy

What a beautiful ascent! The journey to joy!

Some years ago I acquired this perceptive understanding of the pride cycle from Tyler of Book of Mormon Central:

Terrestrial living/life cycle: As a victim, one bounces through every phase of this cycle. Satan loves to keep us, hampster like, running amok on the wheel of this pride cycle. It looks like this:

Telestial living/life cycle: Here one circles through some of the cycle, bypassing humility, repentance, blessings and prosperity – going from pride ultimately to sorrow back to pride and eventually to sorrow and on and on it goes.

Celestial living/life cycle: This cycle shows a covenantal and grateful response to the question, “What do you do when you prosper?” Here, one moves from prosperity to humility, repentance, and receiving blessings back to prosperity which leads to more humility and on and on, always bypassing pride, sin, destruction and sorrow.

Oh to choose to live celestially!

Unto all the world: you don’t have to go round and round the pride cycle.

Sources quoted:

*Book of Mormon Central: Tyler talking about telestial, terrestrial, and celestial cycles/lifestyles

*List of downward trajectory and upward ascent provided by Sunday School teacher at church today