Tag: Humility

Posted in Grateful, Grudges, joyful-echoes, Uncategorized

“Embracing Life’s Blessings: The Power of Kindness and Humility”

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb

Hello, dear readers,

Today, I want to share a story close to my heart—one that reminds us that blessings come in diverse and unexpected ways. Life has an uncanny knack for teaching us lessons when we least expect it, and these lessons often revolve around the importance of kindness, humility, and the art of recognizing the blessings that surround us.

Recently, I found myself in the midst of a life-changing adventure—an interstate move across the country. As you might imagine, it was no small feat. Long hours on the road, aching joints, and the sheer physical toll of loading and unloading a U-Haul truck made for a challenging journey. At times, it felt like I needed a ladder just to climb into the truck’s cabin!

A family member recently offered to help us move to be closer to them, which was a chance of a lifetime, and after discussion my husband and I decided to take the journey from Ohio to Florida, and then we would be staying in a nice home.

And because of the long journey instead of me, being grateful I was ticked off just because I was in pain I was exhausted I was hungry. I was tired and it was wrong. I had no business being so mean.

But life has a way of delivering its lessons in pairs. As I traveled, my aching joints became a constant companion. Joint pain can be an unwelcome and persistent visitor, making even the simplest tasks seem monumental. I mean the Uhaul truck was a chore getting in and out of.

It was during this time that I realized the value of hiring someone to high-dust my new home, sparing me the discomfort of ascending a ladder. In this moment, a blessing took shape in the form of a service that lightened my load, both literally and figuratively.

However, life isn’t just about receiving blessings; it’s also about recognizing our own moments of imperfection. As I dealt with the physical and emotional toll of the move, I found myself succumbing to frustration and moodiness. There was a moment when I looked in the mirror and realized that I was far from the kind and patient person I aspired to be. In fact, I was acting quite the opposite—a “rotten human being,” as I put it. This self-awareness became the catalyst for another vital lesson.

I recognized that I was becoming a hypocrite—preaching kindness while failing to embody it myself. I had allowed the stress and discomfort of the situation to impact my behavior negatively. It was then that I understood the importance of acknowledging our own shortcomings and seeking forgiveness when we fall short of our own ideals.

So, here’s the takeaway: blessings can come in many forms, from the helping hand of a friend to the relief provided by a hired service. But these blessings are often intertwined with the lessons we learn along the way. We must be mindful not to take advantage of others, or be short with others especially during times of frustration or discomfort. We must remember that kindness should be our guiding principle, even when life doesn’t go exactly as planned.

As I continue on this journey, I’m making a conscious effort to practice kindness, not just in my actions but also in my words and thoughts.

I don’t usually go off the deep end like that.

Let’s remember that we’re all works in progress, and while life may test our patience, it also offers us the chance to grow. So, dear readers, may you all have a blessed day, filled with opportunities to embrace life’s blessings and to practice kindness and humility in all that you do.

Posted in Pride, Humility

The Beauty of Humility: A Lesson from Saint Mary Baouardy

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDeb

In a world often dominated by self-promotion and the pursuit of personal glory, the concept of humility might seem like a rare gem. Saint Mary Baouardy, also known as Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified, offers a profound insight into the essence of humility with her analogy of the grain of wheat. She likens the proud person to a grain of wheat thrown into water and the humble soul to a grain of wheat buried in the earth. Let’s explore the wisdom of Saint Mary Baouardy’s words and understand why embracing humility can lead to spiritual growth and transformation.

The Proud Grain in Water

Imagine a grain of wheat cast into water. What happens? It swells, it expands, and it becomes bigger. This image is a vivid representation of the prideful individual. Pride, often driven by ego and the desire for recognition, causes a person to inflate their sense of self-importance. They seek validation and admiration from others, constantly craving attention and praise. However, like the grain of wheat in water, this pride can be fragile, vulnerable to external influences and circumstances.

When exposed to the fire of adversity, the proud individual faces a harsh reality. The fire of life’s challenges can be relentless, and in its heat, pride withers away. Just as the grain of wheat in the fire dries up and burns, so does excessive pride result in emotional and spiritual turmoil. It is a brittle facade that cannot withstand the trials of life.

The Humble Grain in Earth

Contrast this with the humble soul, depicted as a grain of wheat buried in the earth. Humility, in Saint Mary Baouardy’s analogy, involves descending, hiding oneself, disappearing, and even dying to the ego. Humble individuals do not seek the spotlight or crave recognition. Instead, they willingly submit themselves to something greater than their own desires and ambitions.

To be like the grain of wheat in the earth means embracing a profound sense of selflessness. It involves recognizing that our true value lies not in our worldly accomplishments or the admiration of others, but in our connection to something divine and transcendent. This humility allows us to surrender our egos, to let go of the need to control every aspect of our lives, and to trust in a higher purpose.

The Revival in Heaven

The most remarkable aspect of Saint Mary Baouardy’s analogy is the promise of revival for the humble soul. While the proud grain in water may swell temporarily and then perish in the fire, the humble grain in the earth undergoes a transformation. It may seem to disappear, but it is in this very process of self-emptying that it finds new life.

In embracing humility, we open ourselves to the possibility of spiritual growth and renewal. Just as the buried grain eventually yields a bountiful harvest, the humble soul, having shed its ego and worldly attachments, experiences a profound connection with the divine. This revival occurs not in the fleeting realm of material success but in the eternal realm of heaven, where the soul finds its true home and purpose.

Saint Mary Baouardy’s analogy of the grain of wheat teaches us a profound lesson about humility and its transformative power. In a world often obsessed with self-promotion and pride, the humble soul stands as a symbol of inner strength and resilience. By letting go of our ego, descending into the depths of humility, and embracing a greater purpose, we open ourselves to spiritual revival and a deeper connection with the divine. Just as the grain of wheat in the earth ultimately yields a rich harvest, the humble soul, in its selflessness, finds its truest fulfillment in the embrace of heaven.

So we know negative Pride is demeaning other people or feeling an aversion to others. Instead of nurturing self-growth, we compete and want to defeat others.

Relationships

Pride will undo a relationship faster than anything else I’ve seen. People will credit their pride for hanging on to grudges well beyond the expiration date. It’s hard to witness sheer stubbornness keeping spouses or families apart. Pride will tell us that the other person doesn’t deserve to be forgiven, or that we could never be in the wrong. Pride will fool us in to believing that we should get whatever we want no matter the price; and that we’re above the rules for everyone else. Jesus tells us to worry about the plank of wood in our own eye before the speck in someone else’s (Matthew 7:3). Pride is the author of hypocrisy that makes equally giving love and respect in relationships impossible.

Peace

When we allow pride to tell us that we’re better than others it will rob all sense of peace. There will always be jealousy and the constant need to compare. ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ and focusing on appearances will lead only to a chronic state of discontent. This will enrage pride to make us try even harder to do or be more, which is a slippery slope to a whole host of bad decisions. At the end, we won’t be able to feel satisfied or a true sense of accomplishment. That critical inner voice will pop up saying that it still wasn’t good enough. Pride breeds perfectionism, and perfectionism often runs straight to anxiety, (ironically) low self-esteem, and a lack of joy.      

Eternity

Those filled with pride don’t always think about their eternity (perhaps because they already feel deserving of one), yet they should because pride is considered an abomination to God. There are many, many examples God gives about bringing the proud low and lifting up the humble (James 4:6). God opposes the proud, which makes those with ongoing pride His adversary. In essence our pride is an attempt to put ourselves on His level and negate the need for grace. It’s impossible for Godly righteousness and pride to coexist. Proud people may do good works, however it’s usually for the sake of their own praise. Pride will stymie true compassion for others as well as genuine repentance for our own sin. In short, pride separates us from God. 

“Pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes” (John Ruskin). God warns about pride with all seriousness and we must as well. There is a reason that we cling to it though. Behind pride is often a world of hurt that has been stuffed down and covered with a façade of hubris.

When you accomplish something and feel really good about it, that isn’t pride. It’s delight. Being proud of, or prideful about, your work means that you need everyone to know that you did it. To let everyone else brag about what you may have done you don’t need to because if you’ve really done some thing to help someone they will talk about it.