Humility

What an awesome book, and an even awesomer (is that a word?!:) topic to study! Though we may not be outright saying, "I am the best," I know that my lack of humility shows. The Bible says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). What we cultivate in our hearts - the sins, idols, etc. - becomes our thoughts, and our thoughts become actions.

I have a bad "habit" (?) of acting in ways that display my thought process as saying my ideas are better. And because I think this, I am usually dead wrong and disasters occur. I did a word study on pride once, and I learned some, but I wanted to study it deeper. I bought this book "Humility" about a year ago, but stopped reading after about twenty pages in. It seems to be a pattern with almost all books I read, unfortunately :(

Anyways, I've picked up this book and began again, and am learning some profound things.
The Bible talks a lot about the eyes of God. Whether it is that His eyes are searching the earth, or looking towards something, God is actively searching for something. That something is humility. A humble person invites God to actively work in their life. What a thought! Add on to that after God took everything away from Job, "Job did not sin or curse God with his lips" (Job 1:22).

So often I am tempted to look at the trials and circumstances in my life and ask God, "Why do you do this to me?!? What more do you want?!?!" Simple answer is: He wants ALL of me. And instead of being embittered, or grumbling and complaining about it, I should invite God's active work in my life instead.

This is a prayer of mine, especially for the new year, but one that will be ongoing because pride and sin never sleep. One of the practical tips that Mahaney gives on battling sin is to make a list on ways you can battle pride in your life. One of Mahaney's points on his list is to be continuously grateful for God's gracious gifts. Ok, that's a paraphrase but hey, it's still true :) If we were continuously aware of every single gift God gives us all day, every day, throughout the day, we would be constantly aware of His greatness and our lack of greatness. We would never be tempted to "contend for supremacy with God" again!

And of course, most importantly, is the cross. Even though this point is at the end of my post, it is definitely not an afterthought. He was the greatest example of humility (Philippians 2) that ever existed and He gave everything He had to save people who rejected Him. What an amazing gift. Like one of Mahaney's cited quotes, the closer we stand to the cross, the more humble we are. How can we not be? We stand next to a cross that bore the perfect sacrifice for OUR sins, OUR transgressions and provided a way from OUR eternal punishment (Isaiah 53).

May I stand closer to the cross and linger in it's shadows more and more each day.

Em