The How’s of Humility

We have every reason to get humble. Here are six big reasons:

1. God shows grace to humble people (James 4:6).
2. God gives victory to humble people (Psalm 149:4).
3. God hears humble people (Daniel 10:12).
4. Humble people are able to build healthy one-another relationships (Philippians 2:2-8).
5. Humble people receive blessings (Proverbs 22:4).
6. Humble people gain wisdom (Proverbs 11:2).

So…how do I become more humble?

Well, it takes practice. The Scriptures say to “train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). Here are five ways to train yourself to grow in the virtue of humility:

#1 – Fast.

Fasting is actually probably the fastest way to experience humility. In Ezra 8:21, we read how it can work:

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.”

When we fast, we come to understand how quickly we can break down. We realize how physically and emotionally dependent we are on a substance known as food. In humbling myself during a fast, I can learn a lot about God and about myself. I come to know that I am fragile and that I need to depend on God. My perspective shifts to where I start thinking and living how I ought to think and live.

#2 – Make God big.

Obviously, God already is big. But this is a matter of experiencing the greatness of God. Ask God to help you see Him for who He is. This realization of God’s greatness was transformative for men and women in the Bible, such as Isaiah, Moses, Peter, and Mary Magdalene.

Psalm 19:1 tells us,

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

I remember witnessing the beauty of snow-capped mountains from my seat in a plane. There’s nothing like breaking through the clouds and seeing the blue skies above and a bed of clouds underneath. Emotion overtook me. My eyes welled up and a tear trickled down my cheek, and then another, as I gazed upon the beauty of God.

If this is earth, then what is heaven going to be like?

God created all this, sustains it and holds it all together. And he cares about this dude?

# 3 – Do something that you feel is below you.

In John 13:14, Jesus said,

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

We ought to each pick something we feel is beneath us, and we ought to do it. Wash feet. Pick up trash. Clean a toilet. Serve someone that doesn’t deserve it.

Choose to put yourself lower. Choose to put yourself in a position of humility.

#4 – Remember where you came from.

Why should you be careful not to forget where you came from? Check out 2 Peter 1:5-9:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

When we forget where we came from—and all that God has saved us from—we become ineffective and unfruitful. We lose our gratitude and our motivation to grow.

#5 – Take the humble pill.

A pill is something that is supposed to affect our whole body when consumed. Sometimes you have to consume the humble pill and pray it consumes you.

Something in life is going to hit you hard, and that’s when you’ll need to take the humble pill. Here are some examples:

• When someone cuts you off in traffic…
• When someone goes off on you…
• When your spouse goes off on you…
• When your heart and intentions are questioned…
• When you are accused of something you didn’t do…
• When you are lied about…gossiped about…slandered…
• When someone else gets that promotion…
• When you aren’t acknowledged for your service, wisdom, or contribution…
• When someone who actually did less is acknowledged for their service, wisdom and contribution…
• When that person gets acknowledged again…twice before you get one…so they essentially lap you in getting acknowledged…
• When your child is overlooked (that one is personal, right?)…
• When your parenting methods are critiqued…
• When nobody likes your idea or cares for your input—in the area of your expertise…
• When you are trying your best and it wasn’t enough…
• When you are trying to do right and still get taught, corrected, or even rebuked…
• When someone starts to school you on something you already know…
• When the person you like starts dating someone else…
• When the person that helped you throws it in your face…
• When the person you helped blames you for their problems…
• When you’ve sinned and nothing in you wants to confess…
• When you fall into that same sin again…
• When you’ve sinned, continue to sin, and really don’t want to repent because you think you can get away with it…
• When you are in desperate need of help but you don’t want anyone else to know it…
• When you want to lie or be deceitful to make yourself look good…
• When people like your idea, support it, sacrifice for it—and then it fails…
• When the Scriptures challenge your beliefs, decisions, lifestyle or traditions…

…Then take the humble pill.

Let’s end with this one: When you realize your way isn’t working and you need Jesus, then take the humble pill.