Narcissists may appear religious and even profess to follow Christ, yet aren’t true followers. When performing good deeds for themselves or when it benefits them personally, these individuals don’t uphold biblical values as part of their mission statement.
Many codependents waste too much energy trying to influence narcissists to change. Instead, they should devote themselves more fully to rebuilding their identity in Jesus.
Table of Contents
Narcissists are self-centered
Creeping narcissism leads to an insidious belief in oneself as superior. They become incapable of tolerating negative feelings, turning them instead into anger, blame or contempt directed against other people to avoid facing their own shame – an effective defense mechanism referred to as projection.
Psych Central describes that narcissists lack empathy and see themselves as above everyone else, thinking they deserve special treatment and attention. Narcissists are known to manipulate others to achieve their ends without feeling any sense of guilt for what they have done.
Narcissists often exhibit distorted moral values and don’t adhere to social norms, making them likely to exploit people without even realizing it. Narcissists may use manipulation techniques such as flattery or charm in order to gain what they desire – these behaviors may appear sincere but are simply used as cover-up mechanisms designed to maintain relationships.
To successfully deal with a narcissist, it’s vital that you establish your own support network. Spend time with people who can reflect back your true qualities and acknowledge any thoughts and emotions that arise during interactions with a narcissist; at the same time, make new friendships outside their orbit – this will allow you to maintain perspective while keeping the relationship from becoming overwhelming.
They lack empathy
People suffering from narcissism lack empathy. They don’t understand how their actions impact those around them and, due to a lack of awareness, often ignore or devalue those they meet, hurting them without feeling their pain inflicted upon them.
Narcissists often employ manipulative behaviors in order to gain power over others and manipulate relationships, known as narcissistic abuse. If this behavior continues, it could be harmful and toxic for the person being victimized. Therefore, seeking counseling with an experienced counselor or psychologist may help in understanding narcissists as well as setting healthy boundaries between you and them.
Additionally, it’s essential to remember that God is a loving and merciful force who can heal any heart that’s hardened against love. While some narcissists may feel their actions are justified by society or God Himself, His word makes clear that all sin is unacceptable and will be dealt with accordingly.
To counter narcissists effectively, the best thing you can do is turn toward God and pursue spiritual growth. He loves you no matter how anyone treats you – in fact He may even love you more than they do! He wants you to know that your worth and value come solely from Him rather than from what others perceive about you.
They are self-righteous
Narcissists tend to be highly judgmental of other people’s behaviors and beliefs. They frequently point fingers at others while employing condescending tones; moreover, they often avoid engaging in discussions regarding other beliefs and spiritual practices. Self-righteousness is a prevalent mental health disorder and difficult to diagnose; its cause could stem from childhood trauma or abuse or from lacking empathy in themselves or those they interact with.
People who exhibit self-righteousness lack the ability to see things from another viewpoint, believing everyone feels and thinks the same as them, with little regret or guilt over their actions. Furthermore, empathy – an essential quality in compassion – may also be lacking preventing their actions from causing harm or offense to others.
Narcissism comes in four varieties, from grandiose to vulnerable to exploitative and malignant. Of the four, grandiose narcissism is by far the most prevalent; these people seek admiration and power from others while having an excessive sense of entitlement and eagerness to show it off. Many successful professionals suffer from grandiose narcissism despite having an inaccurate view of themselves and their accomplishments, often manipulating others into giving them special treatment because of it.
They are manipulative
Narcissists often use manipulation as their primary way of exerting control. This often results in verbal and emotional abuse as well as coercing others into playing their games. While many claim to be Christian, these individuals do not follow Christ’s teachings regarding kindness and love toward all; instead, they often claim it when it suits their agenda – without altering any destructive behaviors.
Narcissists often manipulate those around them into feeling anxious and depressed, leaving victims suffering long-term psychological damage as a result. Codependency can often form between the parties involved due to an attempt by one to feed his/her ego through another; codependency could then turn into long-term damage from prolonged interaction between two individuals.
Effective strategies for dealing with narcissists include setting boundaries, restricting their access to your emotions and taking steps to protect yourself from their abusive behavior. You should also try avoiding gaslighting – an effect used by manipulative individuals to make their target doubt their reality.
Reminding yourself who you are in Christ can help to dismantle narcissism. Doing this will allow you to regain your sense of self-worth while dispelling idolizing or believing the narcissist’s cinematic inner victim narratives.
They are egotistical
Narcissists possess an overly-inflated ego that requires constant feeding; hence their need to get attention and praise even if it’s false. Furthermore, they lack empathy towards other people’s feelings, often exploiting those around them to achieve their goals – but this behavior doesn’t come across maliciously; rather it simply doesn’t register with them that their actions hurt others.
God’s love may cover all sin, but that doesn’t mean narcissists can ignore their bad behavior without facing consequences; God will eventually put an end to them just like He has with people such as Herod who began believing he was divine.
Notably, narcissism can also be found within churches – from pastors, leaders, and even some members. But when encountering someone in church who fits this profile, remember Jesus is who should be our focus. When encountering such someone pray for them and ask the Lord to help change them in whatever way He sees fit – He will come through in His own time and way!
They are arrogant
Narcissists often exhibit arrogance as the result of believing they are the most essential person in any situation, leading them to feel superior even if they may not possess all of the relevant skills and knowledge required for any given task. Furthermore, these individuals struggle with admitting when they have made errors that led them down a wrong path that led them down paths that hurt themselves and others.
Narcissists often suffer from delusions; they believe they are God’s chosen one and that He will punish those who try to stop them. Many narcissists seek refuge within religious groups or cults where they feel safe attacking those outside.
A narcissist cannot change until they understand that God loves them and desires for them to surrender to Him. In order to do this, they must acknowledge they are not God and that He will punish their selfish behavior if it continues. Additionally, they should stop blaming other people for their behavior; rather take responsibility and accept their sinfulness through repentance; pride is the most damaging sin and God loathes it.
They are narcissistic
Narcissists suffer from deep insecurity at their core. Their inflated egos seek attention and validation. They believe they are alone who understand who they really are, that life should unfold according to their vision, which often results in anger and bitterness toward those they perceive as unfairly interfering with this plan. Narcissists blame others for any failures they encounter as though there was some grand plot brewing against them.
People suffering from narcissism tend to be grandiose, arrogant and lack empathy or consideration for other people. They need admiration from others and feel entitled to soothing concerns or compensation for any misdeeds they have committed; such behavior often stems from past trauma that has left them feeling damaged but falsely superior in relation to society at large.
Though it can be tempting, setting clear boundaries and maintaining them are necessary steps when dealing with a narcissist. Remain firm if they try to undermine your boundaries or gaslight you into questioning reality; seek support if this person has caused damage to relationships such as friends and family – domestic violence shelters may provide invaluable help here; write down why you left to refer back to when feeling tempted back in by their charms.
