How to deal with Pride?

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Montie_Claunch

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I was watching Lord have Mercy on EWTN and Scott Hahn was talking about how Pride is the root of all sin. I have noticed that I tend to be a bit prideful. Most personality tests that I take usually say that I have a weak ego and I go out to feed my self esttem, a sort of Narcism (Sp?). I really feel bad about it to. Does anyone know how I could do something about this? How to get read of my pride? Thanks and God bless.
 
This link provides some ideas about humility that may help you. Also, St. Francis De Sales book, Introduction to a Devout Life, and Immitation of Christ both go into great detail about what true humility is. I find I have to go back and re-read the humility sections very often!🙂 Also, pray for God to make you humble. I’ve been praying for this for a long time now, and I think God wants to take his time in answering this request!🙂
 
I really struggle with this too. Even when I’m praying, I feel so proud of myself because I’m praying, which in turn makes the prayer about me, instead of about Jesus.
I’m praying for humility too, it’s a scary thing to pray for, because you never know how God’s going to grant it.

I think God’s helped me a bit though. I had fallen away from Him for quite some time, and a few of my sinful mistakes led to some great embarassement which made me come running back into the Lord’s arms. I really hope I’m here for good now.
Not that humiliation and humility are the same thing, but the shame certainly humbled me.
 
There’s a simple one sentence definition I find apt: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

IOW, if we are honest with ourselves we will recognize that we are but fallen creatures while God is the perfect Creator, which ought to help us see our true place in relationship to God and man.
 
Della said:
There’s a simple one sentence definition I find apt: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

IOW, if we are honest with ourselves we will recognize that we are but fallen creatures while God is the perfect Creator, which ought to help us see our true place in relationship to God and man.
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I agree completely. But I think about myself all the time, I really have some narcissistic tendencies. I seriously have daydreams about myself, it’s embarassing but true. I’m praying about this though.
 
Being a prideful person myself:D

I read this many times and have tried to put it to memory.

Litany of Humility:

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, …deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,…deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, …deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, …deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, ,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That in the opinion of the world,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

others may increase, and I may decrease, ,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, ,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, ,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, ,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

provided that I may become as holy as I should.,…Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
  • Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val
 
Oh yes, the Litany of Humility is very helpful–and challenging, isn’t it?
 
Bins said:
I really struggle with this too. Even when I’m praying, I feel so proud of myself because I’m praying, which in turn makes the prayer about me, instead of about Jesus.
I’m praying for humility too, it’s a scary thing to pray for, because you never know how God’s going to grant it.
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I know exactly what you mean! I’ll think “Wow, aren’t I good for saying 3 rosaries today!” Oops - there goes Pride rearing its ugly head again…😦
 
The Litany of Humility is really beautiful. I’ll have to add it to my prayers. I know I really need to pray it, because some of the lines in it I’m almost scared to pray. I’ll just have to ask for Jesus’ grace though to take away my fear, so I can pray for deliverance from my pride. Thanks for sharing that!
 
If you pray to be humble God will give you humility.

I went to Mass some time ago and knelt down and prayed for humility before the start of Mass. I sat on the pew and slid back to get comfortable. We all stood at the beginning of the Mass and as I slid on the pew a** ‘proud’ **nail in the pew had stuck in my pants and on standing ripped through the seat of my pants. My bottom was there for all to see, there were a few shocked faces behind me and alot of pointing and giggling at me and I felt very humble.

I wrapped my sweater around my bottom and carried on through the rest of the Mass greatly humbled.

Pray for it , it is a grace and you will receive it, but watch out how it comes to you!!!😃
 
Bins said:
The Litany of Humility is really beautiful. I’ll have to add it to my prayers. I know I really need to pray it, because some of the lines in it I’m almost scared to pray. I’ll just have to ask for Jesus’ grace though to take away my fear, so I can pray for deliverance from my pride. Thanks for sharing that!
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Your welcome.

The one thing about God granting us the opportunity practice and attain humility is although it is struggle to deal with the way He wants to teach us, we always come out meritous if we succeed. Of course there are those times when we fail but we can still come out with graces. Just keep the right focus that God loves us in our failings and our success and the very humble fact that we can do nothing without Him in the first place is the best place to start!
 
Monte - some friends of mine, all good Catholics, once made up some T-shirts that read “Proud to be Humble.” That would be me, and, it seems, all of us. Like others who have commented here, I struggle with pride every minute of my day, and pray for the grace to imitate Mary in her humility. It is a never ending battle in this life -

Chuck
 
I was once told that true humility is thinking less of yourself and more of others to the point that you forget your needs (and instead trust them to the Lord) and only seek to meet the needs of others. To deny yourself completely in order to follow Christ which entails truly loving and serving others.

I too am struggling with having true humility and letting go of my pride but I have recognized how pride really is at the root of so many sins. It’s the reason for satans fall so it is no surprise that he works so hard at it.
 
Pray for what’s called a docile spirit (a teachable spirit)
Lord help me to be docile to you.
 
Wow, what a great thread. This is something that everyone faces. I agree, it’s the root of much evil in the world.
 
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