These are all great questions to ask ourselves. If we have any encouragement? If we have any comfort? If we share in the Spirit? If we have any tenderness or compassion? These questions inform us of the status of our hearts. They help guide us to how God wants us to be with each other. Each of these questions leads us to humble ourselves from self centered ambition. Ambition can lead us away from glorifying God through the act of loving each other. Instead we should give Him thanks for helping us reframe our mindsets with these questions of self reflection. When we do this we are able to see the interests of others and help them. It is when we help others that God helps us.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 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 2:1-4 NIV
Pride will lead us astray every time. It is a sneaky emotion that the enemy hides well in. With pride we are constantly tempted to keep ourselves the center of our own lives. We were never meant to be the center. God should always be the center. However, we cannot make or keep Him in the center if we do not humble ourselves with everything we encounter. Gratitude helps us transform our prideful nature to one with a posture of humility. Giving thanks shows us that we cannot and do not do everything on our own. We are created to be dependent. It is in the recognition of our dependence that we want to give thanks. Through thanks giving we are made humble.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2 NIV
A Story of Being Humility:
I have never liked feeling dependent. Somehow this feeling makes me think I am inadequate or lacking in someway. I also did not have a family I could depend on. My parents were very absent during most of my childhood. I remember I started taking care of myself when I was 5 or 6.
Being self reliant was something I took a lot of pride in. I took it so seriously that when I told someone I would do something I felt completely tied to making it happen. I would feel a lot of guilt if I did not come through. It was a quality that I think others appreciated, but it was always to my detriment.
I eventually encountered things in adulthood that I could not do on my own. Depression and overwhelm began to consume me. I knew I needed help. I turned to God. He taught me to look inward and stop taking on everything by will power alone. I have learned to simply be grateful first and ask Him if I should or should not do something. I have never been strong enough to do life on my own. It is incredible to be humbled to dependence.
- Anonymous
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences. We'd love to hear a story about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
Considerations for your planner:
- Write these questions down. Answer them if you can. Either way begin to recognize them in your daily life and allow them to inform your humility.
- What are you most prideful for in your life? Write down how you could be more dependent on God for that thing.
