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A friend recently went through a mortifying experience. She said her heart was burning in such agony she wanted to crawl under a wet blanket ... until she realized that what was smoldering within her was pride. That took me aback: I rarely think of the flame of shame as a measure of anything more than discomfort. But she’s right. It’s pride.
My friend told me that instead of hiding, she prayed the litany of humility. Curious what that could be, I looked it up.
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 ...
It goes on and on. And it makes me squirm. You see, most of the time praise and approval are exactly what I crave. I’m all-too-OK with letting people think highly of me. And deep down, all the situations from which I desire deliverance include every single way in which Jesus humbled himself: through pain, suffering, ridicule, false accusation and public humiliation. I seem to have it backwards.
And so I’m staggering through this prayer for humility, asking God to shape my heart into something more gentle, more loving, more God-centered than me-centered. If you want, I’ll tell you how it goes ... as long as you don’t tell me how well I’m doing!
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Julia Attaway is a freelance writer, homeschooler and mother of five. She is the editor of Daily Guideposts: Your First Year of Motherhood, a book of devotions for first-time moms. She lives in New York.
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You have to meet God with a humble heart! Hence the Catholic Litany of Humility which is quoted in part above.
Thank you, Julia! If you don't mind I'm going to borrow that prayer to share next week at my women's Bible Study. It's my turn to share a short devotion, and that will go perfect with my admission of getting in trouble last week at work. At 49, it's the first time I've ever been written up and I'm so ashamed! But I want to be transparent and share how Jesus doesn't need us to be prideful, but humble. Here goes!
Patti F.
The prayer - Litany of Humility - in its entirety below.
A litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Jewish worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word means "supplication". Following each supplication, there is a response.
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
After each supplication, respond "deliver me, Jesus"
From the desire of being esteemed,.....
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 to others...
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 suffering rebukes ...
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,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
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…
Simple prayer for Humility
O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorancce, Admits its mistakesm recognizes its need, welcomes advice, Accepts rebuke. Help us to always praise rather than to criticize, To sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy. And to think people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask in the name of Jesus, the Lord. Amen.
There are other litanies as valuable and as inspirational
Litany of Mercy for one...
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