Humility

Quotes on Humility

Humility is the art of descending into your self and remaining there. - Elder Arsinie

Christ was humble, then who are we not to be - Elder Arsinie

To overcome self-love we need to be ever humbling ourselves. This is a great science not quickly to be mastered. - Saint Silouan

Be assured of this if evil thoughts torment you, it means that you are not humble. THe Lord said, ‘Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls. - Saint Silouan

The higher a man ascends in humility, the lower he appears in his own eyes; but if he lacks humility, the higher he appears. The humble man does not wish to be compared even to the most lowly and is grieved when he is given the first place at the table. - ?

Grace is proceeded by the humble thought, but God’s punishment is proceeded by high-mindedness - ?

Without humility it is impossible to see ourselves as we really are, we do not face our sins and vices and so do not confess them and correct them. - Elder Adrian

Once an Elder was asked “What is repentance? And he replied, “Repentance is a contrite and humble heart.” “What is humility? It is a twofold voluntary death to all things.” - Saint Isaac Syrian

Without Christ like humility the soul will never be at rest in God - she will always be agitated by divers thoughts and impulses which will not let her contemplate God. - Saint Silouan

THe Lord loves man so, He gives him the gifts of the Holy Spirit but until the soul learns to preserve grace she is much tormented. - Saint Silouan

To learn Christ like humility is a a great joy. - Saint Silouan

Only to the humble does the Lord reveal Himself in the Holy Spirit, and if we do not humble ourselves we shall not see Him. Humility is the Light which is God. In the words of the psalmist, “In thy light shall we see the light.” - Saint Silouan

Humility is cutting off of one’s own will in everything and having cares over nothing. - Saints Barsanuphius and John

A person is humble when he realizes his very being is on loan to him. - Saint Maximos the Confessor

Humility is the outer raiment of the Godhead.
Saint Isaac the Syrian

Spiritual is nothing but the acquisition of humble-mindedness - Elder Ephraim Arizona

We fall because we lack humility - Saint Silouan

Guarding the intellect with the Lord’s help requires much humility, first in relation to God and then in relation to men. We ought to do all we can to crush and humble the heart. - Saint Philotheos of Sinai

Success of spiritual life is not measured by spiritual solaces, which might come from the devil, but by the depth of humbleness. - Elder Nikon V.

Woe to you when your praise surpasses your deeds. - Elder Cleapa

Nothing is more opposed to God than pride, for self-deification is concealed in it, its own nothingness or sin. Thus more than anything humility is acceptable to God, which considers itself nothing, and attributes all goodness, honor, and glory to God alone. Pride does not accept grace, because it is full of itself, while humility easily accepts grace, because it is free from itself, and from all that is created. God creates out of nothing. As long as we think that we can offer something of ourselves, He does not begin His work in us. Humility is the salt of virtue. As salt gives flavor to food, so humility gives perfection to virtue. Without salt, food goes bad easily, and without humility, virtue is easily spoiled by pride, vainglory, impatience - and it perishes. There is a humility which a man gains by his own struggles: knowing his own insufficiency, accusing himself for his failings, not allowing himself to judge others. And there is a humility into which God leads a man through the things that happen to him: allowing him to experience afflictions, humiliations, and deprivations. - St. Philaret of Moscow

They asked an elder, “What is humility?” The elder said, “When your brother sins against you, and you forgive him, before he repents before you.” - Ancient Patericon

He does not show humility who accuses himself (for who will not accept rebukes from himself?), but he who, being rebuked by another, does not decrease his love toward him. - St. John of the Ladder

As water and fire oppose one another when combined, so are self-justification and humility opposed to one another. - St. Mark the Ascetic

Some suffer much from poverty and sickness, but are not humbled, and so they suffer without profit. But one who is humbled will be happy in all circumstances, because the Lord is his riches and joy, and all people will wonder at the beauty of his soul. - St. Silouan the Athonite

Humility consists in considering oneself to be nothing in all circumstances, cutting off one’s will in all things, accusing oneself of everything, and bearing without confusion that which befalls him from without. Such is true humility, in which vainglory finds no place. A humble man doesn’t need to try to show his humility in words, nor does he need to make himself do humble deeds, for both of these lead to vainglory, hinder progress, and cause more harm than good. But when they command anything, it is necessary not to contradict, but to fulfill it with obedience. This is what leads to success. - St. John the Prophet