One of the hardest sections to fill out on a job application form can be to have to list one’s strengths. Its part of the world that we live in, that it sometimes feels like that in order to survive; we have to become experts at relentless self promotion. Yet when we come across the word – humility –, what images immediately come to mind? When we speak of humility it challenges us because the word conjures up images of weakness and unquestioning compliance but it is not a blind submission, but an intelligent active choice.
Humility is a sort of controlled exuberance, to be passionate about the things of God and in that to exercise complete self-control. To know humility is to come to some point of fulfilment as we are able to balance conflicting forces within ourselves and hold the passion for the things of God in tandem with being people of grace.
It is the beginning of the road to healing because as we follow this journey of humility and obedience, we learn more of ourselves and even more importantly, about our relationship with God. Far from being a point of weakness, it takes great strength to embrace humility. It’s not about being pushed around but making obedience a choice. It’s about making a choice not to embrace the worldly message of self-glorification but making a choice to find one’s true identity in Christ. It’s about letting the rain of God’s grace nourish our souls. He must become our total source of all that we need. We must become totally reliant on Him. Humility is about allowing Jesus to become the total centre of our lives. He is our strength and focus in all things and His life will flow through us to the world around.
As we live in community, we allow God to work through others around us and also to work through us. It is a journey of learning more of God, of His amazing gift of salvation and how He brings us to wholeness. The love of God is all embracing and healing and it is also challenging and actualising helping us to become all that we are to be in Christ.
Passages for Study
Proverbs 11:2
2 Corinthians 10
Proverbs 15:33
Philippians 2:1-11
Proverbs 18:12
Colossians 3:1-17
1 Peter 5:1-11
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