Humility and Perseverance

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:6-7

Notes

Lord, you’re the true meaning of humility. We see you come born in a manger, washing the disciple’s feet, and ultimately going to the cross for people who lacked humility. This is humbling to process. I think of Luke 9:23 which states “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. As Jesus shared what it takes to follow him, he lived what he said to the core.

What does denying ourselves daily look like? What does it look like to take up our cross daily? What does it look like to follow Jesus? This involves removing ourselves from the front or top and exalting Christ. 1 Peter 5: 6 gives us a view of removing ourselves off our pedestal “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”.

“True Humility Is Not Thinking Less of Yourself, It’s Thinking of Yourself Less.”
-C.S. Lewis

In this process of humbling ourselves under GOD, we should feel loved, appreciated, and valued by GOD. We’re made in his image and are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Humility is a Kingdom Character that has to be intentionally developed. Taking time to look at our lives to see if the reflection is Christ or our flesh. Paul reminds us that the flesh and spirit are at war with one another. While reading 2 Chronicles 33 and seeing Manasseh a twelve-year boy given the responsibility of being King and noticing the lack of humility that he displayed by putting pagan shrines in the temple, sacrificing his son to pagan gods, practicing witchcraft and fortune telling, these detestable practices GOD had driven out once before the Israelites. Manasseh in his pride was in charge but I recognized four truths that can help us to grow in humility.

1. Pray/Confess/Repent

Coming to GOD in agreement regarding our sin asking for help. We see this from Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 “In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God”. GOD is a faithful GOD that will forgive our sins and purify our hearts from all unrighteousness. He is willing to pour his grace and mercy out onto us.

Is there any sin you want to confess & repent? Can you experience what Manasseh experienced from GOD today?

2. Learn/Grow from your experiences

2 Chronicles 33:10-11 states “The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon”. Manasseh chose not to pay attention to GOD but in JOB’s life, he experiences tragedy and sorrow with the loss of his kids and animals. The experiences we go through can bring us to a place of humility where the hope is to grow/learn and trust GOD instead of running from GOD.

What experiences have you learned and grown from that you can give GOD the glory?

3. Serve Others

Paul reminds us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with humility, considering others’ interest above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). Jesus modeled this as he washed the disciples’ feet and reminds us that he came to serve not to be served. Manasseh stepped up to help rebuild the outer wall of the city as well as get rid of the images of false gods in the temple.

What would it look like for you to practically serve others?

4. Walk in Obedience

I love how Jesus responds with the word of GOD in Matthew 4 each time he’s tempted. This helps us not to live on our opinions or perspectives but for the truth. The truth will set us free. It helps us to walk in the spirit instead of the flesh. Manasseh had to make a choice to live for himself or live for GOD. When he began to live for GOD we saw the shift and change of him denying himself.

–Thomas Baker, Navigators