But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says; “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. - James 4:6-10
In this passage, James makes it clear that our biggest problem is the pride of our own hearts, and the only solution is to become truly humble people. But humility is kind of a tricky thing, it is the one virtue that you do not get by focusing on it. Have you ever noticed that when you begin to think about how humble you are, you immediately stop being humble?
Jonathan Edwards was a 17th century pastor and theologian in New England. Edwards had the opportunity to experience 2-3 great spiritual revivals during his ministry. Edwards noticed that over time, each awakening or revival began to fade and disintegrate due to factions, disputes and fighting amongst the people involved. Edwards wrote a little book about his experiences called “Thoughts on Revival” in which he noted that spiritual pride was the number one obstacle to true revival.
(The following six characteristics are adapted from that book)
1. Spiritually proud people are much more aware of others people’s faults than they are of their own. Truly humble people are more concerned about their own failures than they are about those of others.
2. Spiritually proud people speak with condescension and condemnation about the failures of others. Truly humble people speak with compassion and grace about those who struggle or fall.
3. Spiritually proud people are quick to distance themselves from those with whom they disagree. Truly humble people move toward those with whom they disagree or have conflict.
4. Spiritually proud people are rigid and dogmatic about every area of their faith because they feel they must be right about everything. Truly humble people are not rigid about things that are not essential, and they are open to the possibility that they may not know everything.
5. Spiritually proud people either love confrontation or they avoid it all together (in both cases they are focused on what they want; to prove the other person wrong, or to avoid an uncomfortable encounter). Truly humble people neither love nor avoid confrontation, but they are willing to confront when necessary for the good of the other person.
6. Spiritually proud people are often full of bitterness and self-pity because they are focused on what they do not have. Truly humble people are not full of self-pity, because they are not full of “self” at all.
Take a few minutes to read over this list again and reflect on your own heart. Ask God to point out the areas where you are prideful. Confess these things to God and ask Him to help you grow into a truly humble person.
Jeff Frazier
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