Embrace the Power of Humility

The Bible reminds us that God gives grace to the humble, not the proud (James 4:6). His grace is a powerful resource to draw upon when we are trying to build anything of importance. As believers, we are called to a life of learning and growth. Jesus Himself exemplified humility as He grew in wisdom and stature, even knowing full well who He was and what God was bringing into the earth through Him. People saw the overall gentleness of Christ and tried to exploit that, but He remained steadfast in His mission.

Having a spirit of humility means that we can maintain a hunger for learning and service that aligns with Jesus’ example. We can also take very seriously the Bible when it says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Arrogance only leads to failure. When we put ourselves above others, we lose sight of God’s call to love and serve. We stumble when we think we have it all figured out, refusing to lean on others, let alone God, for guidance. We get sucked into the mindset that no one can do a thing better than we can. But if we don’t ask for help, we will never grow.

Without humility, we will inevitably close ourselves off from the wisdom God has placed in the people around us. Being humble opens doors to growth by allowing us to ask questions, seek guidance, and, most importantly, say, “I don’t know.”

Once we stop learning, we stop growing. Asking the right questions is what initiates our growth, but it’s the humility to truly listen to the answers that will take our vision to the next level.

Allowing humility to lead can be challenging, especially when you’ve been burned before for trusting someone. But God calls us to community, to relationships, to openness, so the answer isn’t to shut down your humility when you’ve been taken advantage of. The answer is to be sure that your humility lives alongside your discernment. These two operate together so that the decisions ultimately made by you will align with what God has ordained.

Pray

Father, You who sent Your Son to humble Himself on the cross to die for my sin and to rise again, please lead me into a place of greater humility as I trust in You. Amen.