The Making of a Right Relationship with God - Humility

A little something I read for my quiet time today that absolutely pierced me. I feel broken about my pride and am a lot more aware now of the life that I've been leading.

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"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." Philippians 2:3

 Case Study: Katie Brazelton - Having been duly Humbled.

I remember my cocky attitude many years ago when I was a director of public relations for a very profitable, publicly held company. It was my heyday of wearing expensive clothes and costly jewelry, and being treated well by my employer -- financially and emotionally. I was in the inner circle of those few who got invited to the owner's home for Christmas parties. I had arrived! I think what I loved most about that job was that my opinion counted; I had a voice. The problem was that I wasn't embarrassed to brag about my good fortune. Then, in the blink of an eye, a corporate reorganization occurred as the company was being positioned for sale, and I was "on the streets" looking for a job with many other coworkers. 

It was about that time that someone called me vapor-ware. It was one person's unique way of saying that I only had vapor in the personal Tupperware of my life, that I had nothing to offer. My heart sank. I was humiliated! I knew that statement was not true, but it hurt me deeply to realize that someone that someone thought that poorly of me. What I learnt that day was that cruel humiliation is not God's way, only man's way. What I decided to do about the unkind remark was life-changing. I went on a personal quest to "get real" and fill my plastic life with Christlike substance. I'd say that God used the layoff from a pride-producing job, as well as the humiliating comment, to get my attention and cause me to want to work on building more of him, more humility into my life. For that, i will be eternally grateful.

So, how does one go about becoming humble? Does it require coming from humble circumstances? Or being mortified? Should we endure slander from helping the accused? Or be self-deprecating? All these ways could just easily produce anger, self-righteousness, vengeance, pride, and/or depression.

Humility is a natural result of having an accurate view of who God is and having the right perspective of who you are in relation to Him. Truly humble people compare themselves not with people but with Christ. They realize their sinfulness and understand their limitations. 

On the other hand, they also recognize their gifts and strengths and are willing to use them as Christ directs. A truly humble person will serve God in any capacity, even if he/she doesn't feel particularly gifted in that area. What about the person who dutifully shows up every week to sharpen the podium pencil? Is that person truly gifted in pencil sharpening?? No, she knows that the job needs to be done and doesn't feel that she is above that task or think she should conserve her energy for something more attuned to her talents. How often, hen a church ministry is seeking volunteers, do we hear, "That's not my area of giftedness"? Can that be just another way of saying, "I can get more kudos doing something I'm really good at."?

We may be thinking that humility is something that it's not. We may assume that humility is discovering our inner doormat (when you think you should just be stepped over; pushed over). But Humility is not the same as Humiliation. Humiliation is self-mortification that evokes the sense of being debased, unworthy, shamed. It screams at us that we have done something wrong and are therefore worthless. Frankly, I want to be clear that God loves us too much to ever want us to feel that way; His desire is not to shame us or humiliate us. That is the demeaning work of the Devil. The bible tells us that God honors us; he chooses us; he pursues us; he sacrifices for us; he woos us; he protects us; but never once does it say that he humiliates us. Granted, He does discipline us to get our eyes off ourselves and onto Him, but discipline is not the same as humiliation. =)

Humility can coexist with self-worth, esteem and personal value. Right thinking about yourself in relationship to God is realistic thinking -- a full-orbed picture of your strengths and weaknesses, your actual appearance, genuine talents, negative habits, and real worth. Thinking that your more wonderful than you really are is pride, and thinking that you're more wretched than you really are is false humility, which is another form of pride because it's still self-focused. 

But make no mistake about it: We are God's chosen ones , his prized possessions. 

"No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined. You'll be called Hephzibah (my Delighted)" Isaiah 62:4 (MSG)

Bottom line, we need to get this false humility versus godly humility versus pride thing straightened in our minds by understanding that our values rests in God, not in ourselves. 

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This was quite a tough QT to swallow but I like these kinds of QTs. Something that I read myself and I can feel convicted by. Gives me a sense of joy that my heart is still soft enough to take challenges. =) 

This was exactly what I needed to to hear. Feel like I've really been living my life quite blindly when it comes to my pride. I guess prideful people don't know they are proud. Which is why it takes a quite a big fall to know that it hurts. 

What convicted me the most from what I read was the last few paragraphs, knowing exactly what humility is. Many times I give myself protection with false humility, thinking of myself as more worthless than dust. It's a bit of an exaggeration and I need to wake up from that. As much as I need to be humble, I also need to be aware of the things I need to change in and not to wallow and be affected so much. I also swing to the other extreme, thinking of myself better than I really am. When awareness sets in, humiliation does too.

 I realize how powerful the Devil can be. But I also know God is more powerful. =) In the many things that I do not do, i miss out on growth because I am afraid and I fear because I am insecure and I fear the comments of others. But I know that God's comments and discipline has far more worth than anything anyone has to say. And I can't be affected by man's words or actions. 

It's been quite an enlightening morning. Please pray for my growth as the first quarter is coming to an end.

Love,

Sera

Sera speaks: "Tough Times, Tougher God" (Lesson from Joyce)

"Troubles come my way, I gotta pray sometimes."

I guess there's a reason why this song was written. To remind us when we're going through a tough time, we gotta be reminded that God is tougher and He can carry us through. We just gotta let Him pick us up. =)

Proverbs 24:10 "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!"

In most situations when we encounter trouble we're not able to stand firm with nothing to hang on to or rely on. Our bodies and our self made mentalities will never be able to bring us through times of any trouble. Even if we physically get through it, it still effects us emotionally. We can't run from it.

I will be able to overcome my troubles when I put my strength in God. =)

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For  where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We wanna end up being where our treasures are. If they are in heaven, we will end up there, if they are on earth, we will stay here, but we will not receive what is the ultimate prize! =) Where are my treasures? Are they those with eternal cause? Will they last forever?

What are my goals? Do I have eternal plans?

Matthew 6:22-23 "The eye us the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness, how great is that darkness!"

What are my eyes looking out for. What I look forward to or what I keep my focus on is what I will get. It will be how my body is affected. If my eyes see love and compassion, I will be loving and compassionate. If my eyes see wonder, I will be motivated toward good things. What do I allow my eyes to see? Let's not be squnity eyed.

Matthew 6:24-27 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you eat or drink;or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feed them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

There are many things in our lives that compete with God. When we become more aware of God we can also be more aware of the other things that we idolize! Am I feeding contempt? What in my life is taking over God? What will cause God to drift further from my life?

We can chuck God aside.

Matthew 6:28-34 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying What shall we eat or What shall we drink or what shall we wear. For the pagans fun after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

These few verses speak very well for themselves. There's no need for further explanation. =)

Amen!