Humility Leads Us to Experience the Fullness of God

“But there is something I am looking for: a person simple and plain, reverently responsive to what I say”, confirmed the Lord (Isaiah 66:2 The Message). Humility is what God is looking for. Humility is a modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance. 1 Peter 5:6 describes it this way: “Therefore, humble yourselves (demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you” (Amplified version). Why does God desire that we be humble? In fact, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Humility is about a relationship with God Almighty. You are allowing Him into every part of your life; the messy and the neat parts; the important and insignificant parts. You are permitting God to access all of you. Humility causes you to turn everything over to God as you are totally dependent upon Him. You exalt Him above yourself, above the world, above what others think. When you are humble, you value God seeking His wisdom. You allow His Word to have authority in your life. This lifestyle of humility is a lifestyle of worship.

In humility, you do not assess yourself according to your failures or your strengths. Your assessment is based on God’s qualities and attributes because you are one with Him and share Jesus’ likeness (Romans 8:29). No quality within you could measure up to Him. Your qualities, talents, and abilities will always fall short of the Lord’s. This is why He states, “Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory…” (Ephesians 3:20,21). It is His power in you that equips you, and provides wisdom and ability.

If you assess yourself according to the flesh, that is according to carnal thinking, you will always see weakness and inability. At times you may see yourself as able with great strength. Either way, you are evaluating yourself by human standards, which is incorrect. That is pride. Your focus is not on the Lord but on yourself. You must see who you are according to God’s fullness, His Word. See yourself according to Who He is because you are complete in Him. In your most vulnerable state of weakness and inability or at times when you are puffed up, God can raise out of your spirit all that you possess; that is all of His qualities. When you see weakness, God sees a perfect opportunity! You can never be good enough or great enough, but He is, and your unity with Him is what completes you. When you see yourself, you should see Him. This is to have a humble attitude.

Humility has a reward. It is called honor (Proverbs 29:23); “Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honor (The Message). Humility comes before honor (Proverbs 15:33). When you humble yourself, God lifts you up (James 4:10); He exalts you (Matthew 23:12)! That is honor.

God honors the humble with an invitation to come sit at His table. This is an invitation for fellowship. This suggests a time of sharing, of listening, of being fed; it is an experience of enjoyment with the Lord, an experience of His love.  The Father extends an invitation of love to everyone. But do you ignore it? When He speaks do you brush Him aside or consider His Word your vital necessity (Isaiah 66:4)? Humility desires a relationship with the Lord, and responds yes to His request.