Humility - Part 2
What, in all human experience, is more elusive than humility? As soon as you think you have it, you have lost it! Sometimes we may wonder if it is even possible to obtain, or worth pursuing humility. Some of us may even despair of ever finding a hint of humility in us. If you have ever had these thoughts, may I encourage you not to give up. God will complete the work He started in you! And developing humility is a part of that work.
Ephesians 4:2 commands us to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” It makes sense then, if God commands us to be humble, it must be possible to obtain. The provocative question is: Do we want to be humble?
One would think that everyone would agree humility is a desirable human attribute to seek. But many believe that humility is a sign of weakness to be avoided at all costs. What do you think? More importantly, what does God value?
God places such a premium on humility that in James 4:6 we find “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Since God’s goal for each one of us is to form us into the image of His Son, we can expect that God is going to do whatever it takes to refine the pride out of us and develop Christ’s humility in us. It will hurt. And we have the choice to cooperate with God’s process or resist it. However, after the refiner’s fire comes the joy of being a little more like Jesus.
Like the athlete who endures the pain of training to obtain the crown of victory, we must choose to embrace God’s trials in our lives to rid us of the pride that would separate us from Him and render us ineffective for His kingdom work. Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
So, friend, are you undergoing a trial in your life that God may be using to teach you humility? Are you cooperating with the Lord, or are you, as my dad used to say, “fighting the program?”
May I encourage you to lay down your sword and embrace God’s purpose for your life? Surrender to His good and perfect will. You will find it worth it!