“Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.”
Jonathan Edwards
Humility, the opposite of pride, is one of the most attractive attributes. God encourages us to be humble. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2: 3-4). Jesus, God incarnate, humbled himself by becoming obedient to death. Humility will eventually become our character if we choose these eight habits.
Habit #1: Express gratefulness to God and to people. Have an attitude of gratitude. Articulate your appreciation verbally and in written form. Offer to God prayers of thanksgiving.
Habit #2: Acknowledge your dependence upon God and others. We cry to God for help through prayer. Asking others to help you in times of need deepens your intimacy with them. People want to feel needed and God desires to be involved in your life.
Habit #3: Confess your sins to God and to those you’ve offended. Repent and seek their forgiveness. The Christian walk thrives on humility. Seeking salvation requires us to be humble.
Habit #4: Serve others. Choose the road less traveled and go low. When you think you’ve gone low, go lower still. Humility seeks to serve even the lowest and most unworthy.
Habit #5: Be open to correction, discipline, and suffering from the sovereign hands of God. Submit to it and embrace it. If someone criticizes you, ask God for one kernel of truth in it.
Habit #6: Daily die to self and become empty vessels in which God can dwell. Surrender your schedule, dreams, and destiny to God. Yield your body, mind, emotions, and will to our heavenly Father who knows best.
Habit #7: Be teachable and learn from those younger or less experienced than you. We really don’t know it all!
Habit #8: Choose healthy vulnerability. Remove the masks that cover your imperfections and brokenness, so others can know the gift of who you really are.
“May God teach us to believe that to be humble, to be nothing in His presence, is the highest attainment and the fullest blessing of the Christian life.” Andrew Murray
Relevant Reflections: 1. Which of these habits will you apply this week?
2. Which of these habits is the most difficult to embrace?
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