Comments on: How can I identify my root sin? http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin Seek Him - Find Him - Follow Him Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-4008 Anonymous Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:31:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-4008 Marie, Yes, they are symptoms of pride.  This was a tough one for me to accept......I have had low self-esteem / self-confidence most of my life.  It really hurt when it seemed that people were not returning phone calls or emails......or said something negative about me.....other things like that.  Because of the real internal pain I felt, I ignored the things I read about low self esteem being selfish.  Maybe for other people, but not me!  :) Once I had read it or heard it though........it was inside me and God put it to good use. My root sin is vanity, therefore I would do things according to what I thought others expected........I was a people pleaser, and when I tried real hard to make people happy, and it <b><I>seemed</I></b> that I had failed........I felt awful........my sense of self-worth was tied to <B><I>my perception</I></B> of what others thought of me.  Emphasis on 'seemed and my perception'....this wasn't how things really were, but how I thought they were. The devil plays both ends against the middle..........so I was never happy.....always being tempted to do more for people  "This will make them like me!" ........and never feeling that they did. Once I understood and was able to believe....even just a little......that God made me and I was good, period.  I made gradual progress in building my self esteem.  For my penance once a priest made me kneel by my bed once a day for prayer and say, "Thank you for loving me."  It wasn't easy....lots of emotion and skepticism.......but it finally broke through the protective wall I had erected.......telling myself that I didn't care. What we're doing when we have low self esteem is essentially saying that we're so bad or so poor off, lowly, wretched, and miserable that not even God can fix us........and that's pride.  We are too focused on ourselves.....as if we were the center of the universe.  (<i>I really hated hearing that one...but it was true.......and the idea that I was being selfish was so abhorrent to me that it helped me to be open to the healing I needed.</i>) The Surrender Prayer was also very helpful for me, you can find it here: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/06/25/a-prayer-of-surrender And some good ideas for overcoming our root sin here: http://www.totustuus.com/overcome.htm The key is in putting God first.  I have a sticky note that says, "Who am I trying to please?" posted where I see it often.  I would imagine God feeling about me as I do for my children and grandchildren....and now I have solid church teaching on the truth of this to help me shut out the devil and my own negative thoughts.......those things are simply "not of God". It's been hard!!  I've had to change ways of thinking and behaving that I've had for almost 50 years............but it's also been absolutely worth the effort!!  God will transform us if we allow Him to.  :) Marie,

Yes, they are symptoms of pride.  This was a tough one for me to accept……I have had low self-esteem / self-confidence most of my life.  It really hurt when it seemed that people were not returning phone calls or emails……or said something negative about me…..other things like that.  Because of the real internal pain I felt, I ignored the things I read about low self esteem being selfish.  Maybe for other people, but not me!  :)

Once I had read it or heard it though……..it was inside me and God put it to good use.

My root sin is vanity, therefore I would do things according to what I thought others expected……..I was a people pleaser, and when I tried real hard to make people happy, and it seemed that I had failed……..I felt awful……..my sense of self-worth was tied to my perception of what others thought of me.  Emphasis on ‘seemed and my perception’….this wasn’t how things really were, but how I thought they were.

The devil plays both ends against the middle……….so I was never happy…..always being tempted to do more for people  “This will make them like me!” ……..and never feeling that they did.

Once I understood and was able to believe….even just a little……that God made me and I was good, period.  I made gradual progress in building my self esteem.  For my penance once a priest made me kneel by my bed once a day for prayer and say, “Thank you for loving me.”  It wasn’t easy….lots of emotion and skepticism…….but it finally broke through the protective wall I had erected…….telling myself that I didn’t care.

What we’re doing when we have low self esteem is essentially saying that we’re so bad or so poor off, lowly, wretched, and miserable that not even God can fix us……..and that’s pride.  We are too focused on ourselves…..as if we were the center of the universe.  (I really hated hearing that one…but it was true…….and the idea that I was being selfish was so abhorrent to me that it helped me to be open to the healing I needed.)

The Surrender Prayer was also very helpful for me, you can find it here:
http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2011/06/25/a-prayer-of-surrender

And some good ideas for overcoming our root sin here:
http://www.totustuus.com/overcome.htm

The key is in putting God first.  I have a sticky note that says, “Who am I trying to please?” posted where I see it often.  I would imagine God feeling about me as I do for my children and grandchildren….and now I have solid church teaching on the truth of this to help me shut out the devil and my own negative thoughts…….those things are simply “not of God”.

It’s been hard!!  I’ve had to change ways of thinking and behaving that I’ve had for almost 50 years…………but it’s also been absolutely worth the effort!!  God will transform us if we allow Him to.  :)

]]> By: Anonymous http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-2619 Anonymous Thu, 26 May 2011 13:04:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-2619 Well, the good news is that you are honest. The gray news is that your root sin is not in all three areas. It can only be in one. You may experience sin in all three, but in order to uncover your root sin and focus effectively, you really should talk with a spiritual director… Well, the good news is that you are honest. The gray news is that your root sin is not in all three areas. It can only be in one. You may experience sin in all three, but in order to uncover your root sin and focus effectively, you really should talk with a spiritual director…

]]> By: Justin http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-2618 Justin Thu, 26 May 2011 12:41:00 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-2618 I fit under all of them... I don't know how to fix such a huge problem... I'll just ask God to help me tackle them one at a time. Lord have mercy. I fit under all of them… I don’t know how to fix such a huge problem… I’ll just ask God to help me tackle them one at a time. Lord have mercy.

]]> By: Temptations of an apostolic heart… - Catholic Spiritual Direction http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1617 Temptations of an apostolic heart… - Catholic Spiritual Direction Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:03:56 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1617 [...] our family, our prayer life (or lack of one). It can be relationships in our lives, it can be our root sin, or it can be our children. If he doesn’t find enough weak points in these areas, he is not [...] [...] our family, our prayer life (or lack of one). It can be relationships in our lives, it can be our root sin, or it can be our children. If he doesn’t find enough weak points in these areas, he is not [...]

]]> By: Anna http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1490 Anna Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:01:38 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1490 mmm...after reading through this post I don't know whether to laugh or cry - is it possible to fit under all three?....I think I have to go through the check list again and see which one gets more points - in which, case, that would be the winner (or loser depending on how you look at it!) <br> <br> mmm…after reading through this post I don't know whether to laugh or cry – is it possible to fit under all three?….I think I have to go through the check list again and see which one gets more points – in which, case, that would be the winner (or loser depending on how you look at it!)

]]> By: danburke http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1203 danburke Wed, 19 May 2010 19:01:55 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1203 There is some wisdom in what you say. Holiness comes from both fighting vice and practicing virtue. Both are necessary. Pursuing one without the other will result in frustration and lack of progress. In Matthew 12:44 and 45 Jesus seems to hint at this problem. If we empty ourselves of vice without filling the empty space up with virtue, we may find ourselves in a very spiritually vulnerable position. In general, I would lean toward practicing virtue but in context of our root sin. That way we are more likely to experience victory in both areas... There is some wisdom in what you say. Holiness comes from both fighting vice and practicing virtue. Both are necessary. Pursuing one without the other will result in frustration and lack of progress. In Matthew 12:44 and 45 Jesus seems to hint at this problem. If we empty ourselves of vice without filling the empty space up with virtue, we may find ourselves in a very spiritually vulnerable position. In general, I would lean toward practicing virtue but in context of our root sin. That way we are more likely to experience victory in both areas…

]]> By: Albert http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1202 Albert Wed, 19 May 2010 03:11:53 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1202 Shocking but true. We are all up to our necks in one or more of these vices, isn't it horrible. But I do think that admittance is the first step to improvement, and maybe the only step. Fighting against my vices seems to make them stronger. Should we try and rather do good deeds and practice virtues, instead of trying to elliminate our vices? Shocking but true. We are all up to our necks in one or more of these vices, isn't it horrible. But I do think that admittance is the first step to improvement, and maybe the only step. Fighting against my vices seems to make them stronger. Should we try and rather do good deeds and practice virtues, instead of trying to elliminate our vices?

]]> By: roberdine http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1194 roberdine Tue, 18 May 2010 19:20:35 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1194 I have seen suggestions on what to do do about scrupulosity, but what about the opposite,not being able to see anything much sinful in one's self? I suspect that vanity might be the root sin, but examining my conscience is hard because I don't really see anything there. I'm sure God sees plenty, just not me. I have seen suggestions on what to do do about scrupulosity, but what about the opposite,not being able to see anything much sinful in one's self? I suspect that vanity might be the root sin, but examining my conscience is hard because I don't really see anything there. I'm sure God sees plenty, just not me.

]]> By: What virtues can I practice to overcome the root sin of sensuality? - Catholic Spiritual Direction http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1151 What virtues can I practice to overcome the root sin of sensuality? - Catholic Spiritual Direction Mon, 03 May 2010 10:02:15 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1151 [...] Previous article: How can I identify my root sin? [...] [...] Previous article: How can I identify my root sin? [...]

]]> By: Sharon http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/04/26/how-can-i-identify-my-root-sin/comment-page-1#comment-1147 Sharon Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:11:37 +0000 http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/?p=3265#comment-1147 All I want now are some fig leaves.... ;) Great and informative post! Thanks:) All I want now are some fig leaves…. ;) Great and informative post! Thanks:)

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