If you're constantly comparing yourself to others, feeling pressure to prove you're enough, or carrying anxiety you can't shake, the problem may run deeper than your circumstances. What if the exhausting need to perform and stay in control is driven by pride that's keeping you from the rest your soul longs for?
In A Soul at Rest, pastor Alex Portillo reveals how pride works as a defense mechanism: It offers to cover the shame and wounds we're afraid to let others--or even God--see. But whatever momentary relief pride seems to offer, it always ends up making matters worse, sending us into a spiral of image management and fractured relationships. Instead, true freedom comes not from prideful defensiveness but through the humble, childlike faith that believes you are deeply loved by God and safe in his care.
Combining biblical insights, honest storytelling, deep compassion, and practical reflection, Portillo invites you to recover the freedom of a child who can ask for help, admit mistakes, receive correction, and embrace being vulnerable without fear. When your worth no longer depends on appearing strong, impressive, or in control, you can stop hiding and begin to rest.
In this journey beyond the pride-shame cycle, you'll discover how to:
- Face your wounds with curiosity instead of fear
- Release the need to protect your image
- Build healthier, more grace-filled relationships
- Rest more deeply in your identity as God's beloved child
Discover the humility that grows not from striving harder, but from knowing you are loved--and the peace, freedom, and joy of becoming childlike again.
