How to deal with pride

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Hey yall…

Im having a lot of trouble with pride. What can i do to help. Obviously i need Gods grace. But what can i do?

I feel like i always want to have the last word, i always want to be the best, i get jealous when someone is doing better than me, i always want to sound smart and look the best and be the funniest. This really bugs me.

I catch myself doing this But usually catch myself when its too late and I’ve already made myself look stupid.

What do yall recommend?
 
Read and memorize verses in The Bible that deal with pride and humility and jealousy. Whenever you find yourself slipping quickly think of and meditate on these verses. You say you already catch yourself. This will help and eventually you will catch yourself before it takes root and before you act on it.
 
Amen.

Litany of Humility and 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 every day (read it in different translations, for me I get something out of every different translation).
 
Remind yourself that nothing, NOTHING you accomplish is coming from you. It’s all coming from God. You’re just his instrument. Without him you can do nothing.
Then thank him for his gifts to you and stop being proud.
 
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Well firstly it is good you have recognised that you need God’s help. Ask for humility at least daily and then ask for patience too. It is not something you get and then have it, actually neither of those things are. They must be practiced and practiced more and more, like learning to play an instrument or to cook or bake or draw etc. any skill. It takes hard work and daily endeavour. As soon as you are aware you have done these acts of a lack of humility that you mention, ask for God’s mercy and you then have it, so move on and try again. Be grateful each time you have made yourself look stupid, thank God and praise him, that is how he is helping you learn to be humble. You can even (if you are brave) ask your angel for more humiliations but dont worry if you aren’t ready for that yet… it may take time, just ask for patience. Also ask for the ability to be silent (you can read psalm 141. 3) so that you do not talk over people or try push your opinions on others etc.
You can pray the Litany of Humility each day or as often as you can manage… it is likely to bring more of what you dont like upon you though, so first of all be prepared and want to change. Becoming humble is not fun and it is not easy, but it is the way to heaven. Once you experience even a little of it, it does get easier. Oh and trust in God more and more and he will help you more and more, I dont know how to explain that one easily but you can do it with God’s help.
 
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Go to Confession more frequently for these things:

bragging
arguing (uncharitably)
desire for power
desire for other’s goods
 
I believe in Divine Comedy, when Dante saw the Prideful in Hell, their punishment was they had to carry big boulders on their back. But that was not a punishment. It was to force them to be close to the Earth, hence humility has latin root words meaning “of the Earth”. When I’m in pride my head is in the clouds and I’m not thinking that I am limited to my Earthly limitations.
 
'This week is a great time to go to Confession due to the coming of Divine Mercy Sunday.
 
Thank you everyone. I prayed the Litany of humility and it brought tears to my eyes. I will pray it daily…i havent got to the scripture you guys provided but i will asap. I just wanted to thank you for that prayer
 
You need to ask for God’s grace and help. Ask him to help you be more humble. Going to confession and confessing bragging,a desire to have power over others will help.
 
What everyone said, plus find yourself a place to serve those in need. A veterans home, disabled children, a soup kitchen. Trust me, you’ll be humbled.
 
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I would get a copy of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis, then read and reflect on it. Before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is always the best place for such prayer and reflection. When you begin to assimilate his advice, humility naturally follows.

Decide to consciously tell yourself to be a good listener. Practice telling yourself this until good habit replaces bad. Some form of sacramental - a small crucifix, miraculous medal or similar - might help you remember. Heck, a note in your pocket would help you remember.

Remember back in school? Did you tell the teacher the daily lessons or did you listen to teacher? We all need to listen more and talk less. Me first and foremost.
 
Thank you for sharing this. These are things that cause my anxiety and worry. This is the prayer I have needed.
 
Humiliation isn’t grace.

Contempt for others in thought and word (thinking you are bigger/better) is also rooted in pride. Confess that too if you are able to receive the sacrament.

Living in sin is also something that will keep you from God’s grace. So if you can’t receive the sacrament of Penance due to unlawful marriage or some other issue with the Church, fix that first. B/c the fullness of grace is found in the sacraments, and sin keeps you from grace.
 
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For a case of the “but what about meeee”’s, the Litany of Humility acts like a 2x4 upside the head.
(Sometimes I start laughing when I pray it and totally recognize myself in it 😊)
 
I don’t remember where I came across this, but I pray this within my morning prayers.

Prayer for Humility Of Heart

Heavenly Father I confess that my natural
tendency is towards pride, in its many guises
and disguises. I have always wanted to show
that I am self-assured and self-confident in
front of other people, and yet I now begin to
realize that I am in fact displaying pride in the
form of selfishness and self-indulgence.

Forgive me Lord, as I realize now that I have
been relying on myself for all I need, instead of
trustfully placing my life into Your hands.

Lord, I see now that I have been feeding my old
sinful nature, instead of allowing my new life in
Christ to grow-- a wonderful newborn nature
which You gave me the moment I trusted in You
as my Saviour and Redeemer.

Lord, I live in this mortal body and have a fallible
mind but I truly desire, in Your strength, to be clothed
in humility and grace, which I now see only
comes from You… (and not as I thought… from me
trying to act humbly in front of other people!)
Change me, O Lord and teach me to humbly submit
to Your will.

Help me I pray, to clothe myself in humility and
truth, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in me so
deeply, that people will start to see Jesus in my
life, and not the old prideful person I used to
be. I ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.
 
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