Why is it so hard to be humble?

As C.S. Lewis says, humility can quickly become pride…

Watch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, “By jove! I’m being humble”, and almost immediately pride — pride at his own humility — will appear.  C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (1942)

If like me, the search for humility is something you need to surrender daily to God’s grace…

Perhaps you will find encouragement in these 19 quotes and Bible verses about staying humble before God…  

Colossians 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Luke 14:9-11

and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:12

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

James 4:6

…God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

And the devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility  Samuel Taylor Coleridge

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.  Augustine of Hippo

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

At very best, a person wrapped up in himself makes a small package. Harry Emerson Fosdick

Of all trees, I observe God hath chosen the vine, a low plant that creeps upon the helpful wall; of all beasts, the soft and patient lamb; of all fowls, the mild and guileless dove. Christ is the rose of the field, and the lily of the valley. When God appeared to Moses, it was not in the lofty cedar nor the sturdy oak nor the spreading palm; but in a bush, a humble, slender, abject shrub; as if He would, by these elections, check the conceited arrogance of man.  Owen Feltham,

1 Corinthians 1:28

and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,

More Quotes About Humility:

Heaven’s gates are not so highly arched as king’s palaces; they that enter there must go upon their knees.  Daniel Webster

It is always the secure who are humble.  G. K. Chesterton

The man who thinks he can live without others is mistaken; the one who thinks others can’t live without him is even more deluded.  Hasidic proverb

A mountain shames a mole hill until they are both humbled by the stars  Anonymous

Nothings sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility  Jonathon Edwards

To be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment  St Bernard of Clairvaux

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or quote about humility?

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