--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes, too, when their spiritual…" description: "\"“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior (for they are anxious that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg" --- # Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as… ![“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior (for they are anxious that all they do shall be esteemed and praised), they consider that they do not understand them, or that, because they do not approve of this and comply…” quote by Juan de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg) > ““Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior (for they are anxious that all they do shall be esteemed and praised), they consider that they do not understand them, or that, because they do not approve of this and comply with that, their confessors are themselves not spiritual. And so they immediately desire and contrive to find some one else who will fit in with their tastes; for as a rule they desire to speak of spiritual matters with those who they think will praise and esteem what they do, and they flee, as they would from death, from those who disabuse them in order to lead them into a safe road—sometimes they even harbour ill-will against them. Presuming thus, they are wont to resolve much and accomplish very little. Sometimes they are anxious that others shall realize how spiritual and devout they are, to which end they occasionally give outward evidence thereof in movements, sighs and other ceremonies; and at times they are apt to fall into certain ecstasies, in public rather than in secret, wherein the devil aids them, and they are pleased that this should be noticed, and are often eager that it should be noticed more.”” [Juan de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-de-la-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People seek approval from spiritual leaders, leading to superficial displays and avoidance of true humility. **In simple terms:** Seeking approval leads to shallow spirituality. Key Takeaway Cultivate genuine humility over external validation. Themes spirituality humility authority Mood contemplative inquisitive Type religious philosophical When to use this quote - religious communities - personal spiritual practice - leadership dynamics - public worship Key Concepts ego self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your spiritual expressions? - How can you practice humility without seeking praise? A Different Perspective Reliance on approval can hinder authentic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Confession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confession/) [Discipleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship/) [Good works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-works/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [“No matter how much individuals do through their own efforts, they cannot actively purify themselves enough to be disposed in the least degree for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-de-la-cruz/no-matter-how-much-individuals-do-through-their-own-efforts-they/) [Juan de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-de-la-cruz/) > [This world needs more than good works. 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And so they immediately desire and contrive to find some one else who will fit in with their tastes; for as a rule they desire to speak of spiritual matters with those who they think will praise and esteem what they do, and they flee, as they would from death, from those who disabuse them in order to lead them into a safe road—sometimes they even harbour ill-will against them. Presuming thus, they are wont to resolve much and accomplish very little. Sometimes they are anxious that others shall realize how spiritual and devout they are, to which end they occasionally give outward evidence thereof in movements, sighs and other ceremonies; and at times they are apt to fall into certain ecstasies, in public rather than in secret, wherein the devil aids them, and they are pleased that this should be noticed, and are often eager that it should be noticed more.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Juan de la Cruz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-de-la-cruz/sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-masters-such-as-confessors-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-de-la-cruz/sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-masters-such-as-confessors-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80f/juan-de-la-cruz-44354_christianity_sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-maste_1762202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their…” — Juan de la Cruz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Juan de la Cruz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-de-la-cruz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-de-la-cruz/sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-masters-such-as-confessors-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-de-la-cruz/sometimes-too-when-their-spiritual-masters-such-as-confessors-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```