“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 NKJ
Humility was never a strong character trait of mine and in fact it was almost nonexistent for a long time. I have a very strong personality and I have always been quite stubborn and strong willed. During a recent season of transition I found myself having to face the reality of where my stubbornness had taken me. It was a dead end alley of pride and I found myself alone and without the support of others. It wasn’t that people didn’t want to be there for me, it is just that I had never given them permission to be there.
In the stillness of that night season of my life, as I sat in quiet reflection of where my pride had taken me, Jesus came to me. He reminded me that He loved me and reassured me that if I would humble myself under His mighty hand; He would exalt me in due time. At that moment He clothed me with a garment of humility. As I allowed Him to clothe me with the garment of humility He removed my garment of pride. It was during this encounter with my Savior where I made the decision to cast all of my cares on Him and to put my trust in Him alone!
This act of free will was one of the hardest things I have ever done because it meant I had to humble myself and release every pain, anxiety, fear, concern, mindset, and hurt. I knew that in doing this I would open myself up to being vulnerable and that is something I had worked for years to avoid. Being vulnerable had always been a scary thought because being vulnerable meant I wasn’t in complete control. But I acted in faith, trusted in God, and gave it all over to Him! In His great and mighty love for me He was faithful and continues to be each day as I walk out of this dead end cul-de-sac of pride. With each step I take I am meeting people who God had placed in my path along the way. They are people I have known for a long time but who I had never allowed to know me.
One of them is my husband whom I love with all my heart. He is a gentle giant who has a heart after God and wants to serve Him as a shepherd to His sheep. Upon meeting him once again on the path to humility I am learning to be vulnerable in letting him be the leader of our household. This is a huge act of faith because I have always been a strong woman who wanted to lead. Not anymore! I am learning how to submit to God in allowing my husband to take his rightful position in our family. Like Joyce Meyer I am letting go of my control. It is a journey of faith and trust but God assures me that in due season He will exalt me in the position He has placed me in if I will do it.
Other people I am meeting on my journey out of the cul-de-sac of pride are friends who have loved me and supported me even when they knew I was full of pride and unwilling to listen to wise counsel. I am learning how to be vulnerable with them as well. As I have submitted to God and submitted to the loving counsel of wise friends, I have learned it is safe to trust the people God brings into my life. Though they are human and could falter in our relationship, I have to allow God to do His work through them and not resist them; just because I am afraid they may hurt me at some point. I have to remind myself that I was not given a spirit of fear and if fear is operating in me; it is due to my lack of faith.
In making the decision to humble myself, my trusted friends and my husband have felt safe to share wisdom with me and I am learning how to apply it to my life. It isn’t always what I want to hear because it contradicts my flesh at times; but I am learning how to allow Christ IN me to remind me that my flesh was crucified on the Cross! And at His resurrection I was made alive IN Him and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives IN me. The fullness of God that now dwells on the inside of me, IN Christ, is the only One who can perfect the work of humility and keep me humble so I can receive and apply wise counsel from trusted friends and loved ones.
This is not something we can do in our own strength because our flesh is weak. Only the Spirit of God is strong enough to break the stronghold of pride and keep us humble. When we allow Him to work in us we experience His grace as it moves to deliver us from the spirit of pride. Walking out of the dead end cul-de-sac of pride and onto the path of humility is one of the greatest trials we will ever face in life and it requires much patience because it is a journey of faith; not a sprint of self works. On the journey we have to remind ourselves of the words spoken by James in James 1:2-4. He says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Prayer: Spend time praying that God will grant you wisdom and discernment in this area and praise Him for being faithful! Begin to cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. I want to encourage you today if you have struggled with pride in your life and assure you that when you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, He will be faithful! As you submit to Him and allow Him to clothe you in humility He will exalt you in due time. Rejoice in this truth and be patient with yourself; knowing that the perfect work of Christ IN you is producing a harvest of wisdom and strength as you allow Him to do His perfect work.
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