Humility is opportunity.

Recall that feeling in the pit of your stomach.  That feeling that almost makes you indignant.  That feeling—the feeling of a bruised ego.  Oh, the feeling of humility.  And if you are having trouble remembering the pleasant feeling of humility, let me remind you.  I recently experienced it. 

And I attempted to reason with myself.  If I could pinpoint the basis of my inadequacy, I could cure my inadequacy.  Surely, inadequacy was the exception, not my condition.  But, we are inadequate.  Thus, humility is inevitable.   

Humility is opportunity.

Humility produces an opportunity to acknowledge our utter dependence on God.  Humility propels me to call out to God because I am not enough.  Humility, even in meaningless circumstances, serves a purpose: we are inadequate, but our Lord is not. 

I am nothing.  I am nothing.  I am nothing without God.  We are nothing without God.  And I too easily forget.  And maybe you forget too.

Our nothingness does not stop there.  We must remember our nothingness, but we must not wallow in it.  We are encouraged because our Lord has made us beyond capable. 

We will never experience the height of our Lord’s strength if we do not experience the depth of our inadequacy.

Our Lord urges us to humble ourselves before Him.  God calls us to voluntary humility.  Too often the only humility I experience is involuntary humility.  And even in those instances of involuntary humility, God is so gracious to remind me of the blessing I am missing.  Once we humbly submit ourselves to God, we no longer have a bruised ego; we have no ego.  And when we lack an ego, we are more capable than we have ever been: we are at our fullest communion with our Lord. 

Praise God that our God is so full of grace that God sends gentle—although somewhat painful—reminders of our dependence on God.  Praise God that He does not let us miss the joy of reliance on Him.  Praise God that we are nothing on our own, but we are everything in Him. 

How painful the reminders.  How gracious our God.  How lovely our dependence.  How powerful His strength.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”  (James 4:10 NIV).

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”  (1 Peter 5:6 NIV).

“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  (Luke 14:11 NIV).

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Matthew 11:29 NIV).

After I lugged my bruised ego to the car, my husband would not quit staring at me.  Eventually, he asked, “Does that zit hurt?”  Yes, I have a horn. . .on my chin.  And yes, I left my fly undone the other day.   

Is it due time yet, God?

Much love to you,

Paige