Tuesday, January 16, 2007
A Few More Thoughts on Humility
Another book I can recommend on humility is Wayne Mack and his son Joshua Mack's book: Humility-The Forgotten Virtue. It contains a very Biblical analysis of humility and pride and it expresses what we,as believers, should strive for in our walk with God. After my previous post,maybe this one can give us all some hope.
I have asked myself: I understand what pride is and that it is wrong,it puts enmity between myself and God...now what do I do about it? How do I go about diminishing pride and developing humility in my life?
Mr. Mack gives some biblical hope in his book.
He goes on in his book to describe how,through refining fire, God develops true humility.
I hope this can encourage you tonight. It did encourage me as I seek help on how to be less prideful and allow Christ to receive glory...isn't this what we want? I appreciate wise man and women who can help guide us to find biblical answers.
I have asked myself: I understand what pride is and that it is wrong,it puts enmity between myself and God...now what do I do about it? How do I go about diminishing pride and developing humility in my life?
Mr. Mack gives some biblical hope in his book.
We must be aware of what God does to humble us. God is the essential part of diminishing pride in our hearts because without Him at work in us,we are powerless to change. At the same time,however, we must recognize that we ourselves have a big responsibility in this process as well. God commands us to humble ourselves under His hand.(1 Peter 5:6) A third thing we need to keep in mind as we seek to diminish pride and increase our humility quotient is the fact that there will never come a time in our lives,as long as we are in this world,when we can relax and think that we have completely conquered our propensity to be proud...overcoming pride and increasing humility is a lifelong process.
He goes on in his book to describe how,through refining fire, God develops true humility.
1)God uses hard experiences to humble us.
2)God uses other godly people who are wiser,more mature,more gifted,and more effective than we are to humble us.
3)God produces humility in us by allowing other people to rebuke and criticize us.
4)God allows other people to misunderstand and misrepresent us.(Remember how Paul was slandered?)
5) God uses our own sin and failure to humble us.
I hope this can encourage you tonight. It did encourage me as I seek help on how to be less prideful and allow Christ to receive glory...isn't this what we want? I appreciate wise man and women who can help guide us to find biblical answers.
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
7 Comments:
Kim,
As usual, the words you share and the truth of God's word you bring always encourage me. I have been thinking about your first post on humility all day.
Mr. Mack's biblical insight brings such clarity to it, and yet it is something that I need to be constantly reminded of.
God has used all 5 of those areas in my life to keep my eyes on Him. But #5, my own sin and failure, remind me of who I would be without God's saving grace in my life.
Thank you for sharing this. It was very encouraging to me.
Thanks once again for your wise words Kim.
We experienced a heavy dose of number 4 a while back, it certainly helps on the humility front! We found 1 Cor 4 v 2-5 very helpful during that time. There is so much in those verses: "Be faithful, let God be the judge and remember, just because your conscience is clear doesn't mean you are totally innocent!" That's my little paraphrase of it.
Thanks again Kim, good to think on these things.
It really helped me to realize that this is a life-long process. It seems a simple realization, but I guess I have always thought that someday I would arrive at a "state of humility" or something and be done with it. That one sentence alone is what I needed today, but wrapped in a whole wise post was even better. Thanks! :)
Thank you for sharing this, Kim. "it's a life-long process." I needed to hear that. I have always kind of thought that a person was either humble or not, and that once I was humble, I'd always be humble. Guess not.
I'm keeping my hope in Christ.
I just read this today while waiting on my children in car line...and knew I had to share it with you:
Humility imports a deep sense of our own meanness, with a hearty and affectionate acknowledgment of our owing all that we are to the Divine bounty; which is always accompanied with a profound submission to the will of God, and great deadness toward the glory of the world, and applause of men.
~Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
Hello -
I wanted to let you know that I've been reading your blog after following links from other places, and I am really appreciating your posts.
I noticed that you are adopting a little girl from China - how exciting. My husband and I are hoping to adopt domestically soon.
Btw, "Lifesong" is such a great name for a blog - very fitting, I think (I'm a little jealous that I didn't think of it). =)
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