Humility

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More than any othe rsin, I struggle with Pride, Countless times a day I have to humble myself. How do I be humble? Any links, quotes etc. I yearn more than anything to be humble and consider myself lower than everyone. Please advise me on how to be truly humble so that I may serve God and others. Thankyou…
 
seanom said:
More than any othe rsin, I struggle with Pride, Countless times a day I have to humble myself. How do I be humble? Any links, quotes etc. I yearn more than anything to be humble and consider myself lower than everyone. Please advise me on how to be truly humble so that I may serve God and others. Thankyou…
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It’s a real blessing to know your own weaknesses.

If/when pride beckons you, it might help you to remember this Scripture verse:
Jesus said, “Learn from me, fo I am meek and humble of heart
and your shall find rest for your soul.”

It reminds us to follow the Lord as we practice humility.
 
I don’t know if putting yourself lower than others is necessarily the right answer.

Especially since it is easy to fall into “false humility” where it seems like you have to be humbler than anyone else. This too is pride.

Jesus said, “love your neighbor AS yourself,” not “… instead of yourself,” or “more than yourself.”

I’ve had pride problems in the past, and I’m not sure they are all gone. However, it is easy for me to look around and just marvel at the things others have accomplished. When I drive by a street crew I am thankful they are out there working hard in the 110 degree heat, because I know I wouldn’t be able to do that job. I look at bridges and skyscrapers that were designed and built before there were computers readily available like they are now and go, “how did they DO that?” I look up at a really tall ceiling in a church and think, “who on earth gets up there to change the light bulbs?”

So for me, it wasn’t so much humbling myself, but becoming impressed with others that helped me let go of shame and feelings of unworthiness. We’re all sinners in the same boat, so let’s get together and live our lives in the fullest. My sins are not better or worse than others’ sins. None of us are “worthy” of God; if we were than none of us would need Jesus.

One thing I find among some of my engineer friends, is that it is hard for many of them to listen to and accept advice from people less educated than themselves. This is one form of pride I thank God is not a big problem for me. I may think too highly of my own knowledge at times but when I listen to others, they have wisdom that I wouldn’t have ever heard had I shut myself off to them. They are looking at the same thing from a different point of view. It’s as if I had many eyes and ears and minds to examine the same issue from all sides to better understand it fully. I may engineer a technical marvel, but it takes an artist to decide what the outer shell should look like. It takes a factory worker to tell me what features I should design into machines that I will be involved with for a few months, but then they have to use it for years, all day, every day – these people don’t know what I know, but I don’t know what they know either.

Another thing is to concentrate on doing what’s right. When I do good, do I do it because it’s good, or to feed my ego, or to gain return favors? Sometimes all three are present and I can’t humanly sort out which is predominant. Nor can I just shut off two of them so my motives are pure. Finally I decided that having these sorts of doubts are satan’s way of trying to get me to wallow in indecision and self-doubt, to keep me paralyzed so that I can’t do the Good Works that God gave me a mind and body to go do.

Alan
 
Alan, I know what you mean about your peers not listening at times. We used to call them “imagineers” at a shop I worked at. Some had a hard time appling their ideas to a practical, working setting. Just for kicks, Samson.
 
It has taken me a long time to come humble myself. What seems to be working for me is looking at my resentments from child through the present. Unfortunately I had to take a big fall to get here.
Code: 
 *During my childhood I used to be jealous of my friends because they had more than I did.       
 *I was resentful to my parents because they wouldn't get me the things that my friends had. 
 *I prideful because I wanted to better than anyone else.  This caused some serious problems in my life.
 *I was a control freak and if things didn't go my way I would let people know it.
The list could go on forever but that would not be conducive to remedying these issues.
I was raised Roman Catholic and I let the world come first and the Lord was put on hold.
Many years later I had a calling and couldn’t tell what it was but I was in a bookstore and I picked up a book called “When Things Fall Apart” it was written by a buddhist monk. After reading the book my life started changing.
Slowly but surely the calling brought me back to my roots of catholicism and my life is changed and the good Lord is helping me on a daily basis.
The whole point of this is that at 53 years old I have finally come to grips with myself. I recommend that you look up The Beatitudes and go on-line and read the commentaries of The Beatitudes.
I will pray for you so that the Lord can guide you to peace and love. I wish I had continued with my catholicism during my childhood into manhood. You are blessed that at a young age you are understanding the pitfalls of life and when they happen the Lord will help you through them.

God Bless You and stay on the path. It can be quite a journey.
 
John_The_Hat said:
It has taken me a long time to come humble myself. What seems to be working for me is looking at my resentments from child through the present. Unfortunately I had to take a big fall to get here.
Code: 
 *During my childhood I used to be jealous of my friends because they had more than I did.       
 *I was resentful to my parents because they wouldn't get me the things that my friends had. 
 *I prideful because I wanted to better than anyone else.  This caused some serious problems in my life.
 *I was a control freak and if things didn't go my way I would let people know it.
The list could go on forever but that would not be conducive to remedying these issues.
I was raised Roman Catholic and I let the world come first and the Lord was put on hold.
Many years later I had a calling and couldn’t tell what it was but I was in a bookstore and I picked up a book called “When Things Fall Apart” it was written by a buddhist monk. After reading the book my life started changing.
Slowly but surely the calling brought me back to my roots of catholicism and my life is changed and the good Lord is helping me on a daily basis.
The whole point of this is that at 53 years old I have finally come to grips with myself. I recommend that you look up The Beatitudes and go on-line and read the commentaries of The Beatitudes.
I will pray for you so that the Lord can guide you to peace and love. I wish I had continued with my catholicism during my childhood into manhood. You are blessed that at a young age you are understanding the pitfalls of life and when they happen the Lord will help you through them.

God Bless You and stay on the path. It can be quite a journey.
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Hoping you return to practing the Catholic faith ASAP.
All it takes is one confession to make your beginning.

I can’t imagine living without the Sacraments!
(I’m 65 yrs old.)
 
“Humility is not self-contempt but the truth about ourselves coupled with a reverence for others.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen
 
Many Great Saints and Mystics have written much on the Virtue of Humility.
It is a Gifted lesson and practice to be much sought after.

One amongst many of my favorite Saints that write about Humility is the mystic
Saint Thomas a Kempis.
worldinvisible.com/library/akempis/imitation/chapter%202.htm
**On Personal Humility
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Everyone naturally desires knowledge, (Aristotle, Metaphysics I,1.) but of what use is knowledge itself without the fear of God? A humble countryman who serves God is more pleasing to Him than a conceited intellectual who knows the course of the stars, but neglects his own soul (Ecclus.19:22). A man who truly knows himself realizes his own worthlessness, and takes no pleasure in the praises of men. Did I possess all knowledge in the world, but had no loves how would this help me before God, who will judge me by my deeds?
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Restrain an inordinate desire for knowledge, in which is found much anxiety and deception. Learned men always wish to appear so, and desire recognition of their wisdom. But there are many matters, knowledge of which brings little or no advantage to the soul. Indeed, a man is unwise if he occupies himself with any things save those that further his salvation. A spate of words does nothing to satisfy the soul, but a good life refreshes the mind, and a clean conscience (I Tim 3:9), brings great confidence in God.
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The more complete and excellent your knowledge, the more severe will be God’s judgement on you, unless your life be the more holy. Therefore, do not be conceited of any skill or knowledge you may possess, but respect the knowledge that is entrusted to you. If it seems to you that you know a great deal and have wide experience in many fields, yet remember that there are many matters of which you are ignorant. So do not be conceited,(Rom 11:20) but confess your ignorance. Why do you wish to esteem yourself above others, when there are many who are wiser and more perfect in the Law of God? If you desire to know or learn anything to your advantage, then take delight in being unknown and unregarded.
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A true understanding and humble estimate of oneself is the highest and most valuable of all lessons. To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection. Should you see another person openly doing evil, or carrying out a wicked purpose, do not on that account consider yourself better than him, for you cannot tell how long you will remain in a state of grace We are all frail; consider none more frail than yourself.**
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The 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,
"

From the desire of being extolled,
"

From the desire of being honored,
"

From the desire of being praised,
"

From the desire of being preferred,
"

From the desire of being consulted,
"

From the desire of being approved,
"

FROM the fear of being humiliated,
"

From the fear of being despised,
"

From the fear of being rebuked,
"

From the fear of being calumniated,
"

From the fear of being forgotten,
"

From the fear of being ridiculed,
"

From the fear of being wronged,
"

From the fear of being suspected,
"

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

That others may be esteemed more
than I,
"

That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may
decrease,
"

That others may be chosen and I set
aside,
"

That others may be praised and I
unnoticed,
"

That others may be preferred to me
in everything,
"

That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy
as I should,
"

—by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930),
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X

I have this posted on my wall next to the bed. Great prayer for each morning. 👍
 
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