Twelve Steps Of A.a. Step Seven Humility (2)
Thursday November 19, 2015
A humble life is grounded in a realistic view of ourselves. Ultimate security is in the safety of God’s acceptance and unconditional love. We believe that God cares, therefore we no longer need to hide behind either too much self-confidence or the burden of self-doubt. A humble person is not someone who feels inferior but someone who is overwhelmed by the undeserved goodness of God. To be "humble in heart" means that we accept both the awesome uniqueness of our experience and the limited nature of our knowledge.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29 NIV)
Humility helps us behave correctly when we clearly see the ugliness of what we actually did in the past. It is a humble person who opens the door to God's forgiveness, healing, and rebuilding every time the need for it becomes evident. God is with us in these moments, therefore we do not have to face them alone.
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life. (Psalm 139:23-24 MSG) Humility comes quietly to those who over and over again draw close to the Lord, trust in His goodness, and express that by their obedient behaviour. The God of time and eternity who created us in love, is ever close to us and invites us to rest close to His heart. There, with Him, we can finally live as people of honour and dignity. With confidence we can say, “God, here I am, I humbly ask you to remove all my shortcomings so I can abide in your presence for time and eternity.”
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:20-23 NLT)
An attitude of humility allows us to accept our dependence on God and His direction. In humility we will listen to God's warning signals and turn away from any familiar path that is harmful. Humility permits us to follow an unfamiliar path with our hand in the hand of God. Humility allows us to lay down everything that hinders our way forward. We embrace God’s principles and believe that they will ultimately produce fullness of life.
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