By Mary Lindow

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

But with humility comes wisdom.”

-Proverbs 11:2

WHEN THE SOUL GOES THROUGH HUMBLING EXPERIENCES

We all know that there are times when the soul goes through humbling experiences.

Perhaps in the past you had strength, calm, security and confidence, and then all of that suddenly gets stripped and your soul sees itself and it's true state of desperate need. 

If you are alert you will recognize that the Lord is opening our eyes to secret pride. That internal thinking that all of our achievement is of our own doing and not purely a gift from above.

Yes, these times come so it will never occur to us again that we are stronger in spirit than anyone else! If we look up on any other person as weaker, it is only because we have not been taken through the purging fire of God completely. Perhaps this is what's happening to someone we know, and it's no business of ours to preen our feathers of “goodness” while they are being refined and challenged. On the other side of that coin, God wants for us to have an open and humble spirit, realizing that if we were in their position we may not handle the circumstances as well, and might actually do worse!

THIS HUMBLING PROCESS IS IN GOD’S HANDS

It is his way of raising in your heart, a new love for all of mankind.

In the past you may have judged others either for their pride, or for being in personal difficulties. 

Even worse, you may have seen others who are lukewarm or weak in their faith and compared it with your own strong devotion and enthusiasm for God.

God is merciful and he shows us all of our own places of emptiness.

Allowing us to go through humbling experiences is how He knocks this out of the seat of our own “judgment” which is His seat alone! He wants us to keep our eyes on our own response to what we know He wants us to do, so that we remain in a place of simple obedience to Him.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy one understands." -Proverbs 9:10

WE ARE ON A HUMBLE SPIRITUAL ROAD

David stood in the presence of wicked men (Samuel chapter 16:5-6 and 9-10) and there he was wondering why the Lord put up with their evil behavior while he was going through such anguish in his own life!

But he still prayed and said, 

“I will watch my ways so I may not sin with my tongue.

I will keep my mouth shut as if it were tied with ropes, while the sinful are near me.” –Psalm 39:1

When David finally saw how limited and small that his own viewpoint was, he continued to say,

“I remained silent and I wasn't about to open my mouth because you Lord are the one who allowed this!”

This is a humble condition much like David's that the Lord will bring our souls to as we are on this humble, spiritual road, 

He says to you and I that He longs to help you to be submitted to His hand alone, obedient to His voice alone!  We are not to resist Him!

 We are not really serving Him and our brothers and sisters if we've taken the high seat above them.

When the Lord begins to work this way of tenderness in our hearts we must listen to what He says no matter what or WHOM He allows to bring the message through. In the past, arrogance has been the measuring stick where many would only receive teaching and correction, from someone THEY thought was worthy to DARE speak to them! 

Those days are over.

“If you have jealousy in your heart and fight to have many things, do not be proud of it.  Do not lie against the truth." -James 3:14

WE MUST CLEARLY SEE THAT CORRUPTION CAN RAPIDLY OCCUR IN ANY PERSON OR ANY GROUP, ORGANIZED, RELAXED, OR OTHERWISE,when the tendency to think that they have arrived at a new or deeper revelation about something more so than others who perhaps express the Lord's voice differently.

ARROGANCE IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT I, INDIVIDUALLY,

OR SOME GROUP THAT I AM A PART OF, COLLECTIVELY,

IS SOMEHOW SUPERIOR TO SOMEONE ELSE OR

SOME OTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AT THE HEART OF ARROGANCE IS SELF-CENTEREDNESS.

And, self-centeredness is the foundation of human sin. I believe any serious attempt at self-examination by an honest person will reveal that we humans are sinful and flawed beyond measure.

Paul writes, “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand…Wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?”

WE ARE CONSUMED BY SELF.

And every time we arrogantly place our own needs before others we are enslaved by sin.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

HOW SHOULD WE LIVE INSTEAD OF IN THAT ARROGANT MODE?

WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE?

How about the words of Jesus? What did he say?

"Everyone who exalts himself (for example, "Aren't I great? Aren't I right? Don't I always have the best opinion?") will be humbled.

But, he who humbles himself (for example, "This is my opinion but it may not be right. I don't have a corner on the market of truth.")

will be exalted."

THE LORD IS NOT SPEEDING UP THE DELIVERY OF ANY "FRESH THING" IN THE EARTH IN ORDER TO GET US TO HIS PURPOSES QUICKLY.

No. He is testing the hearts of men and women everywhere, looking for humility, selflessness, and honor, for those who although not perfect, have also served and pointed the way to salvation for many years previously.

THE LORD IS NOT GOING TO HONOR THE INDIVIDUAL

WHO SHOUTS THAT "CHANGE IS NEEDED"

OR THAT "CHANGE IS COMING" AND THEN

SLASHES AND BURNS ANYTHING

THAT DOESN'T EMBRACE THEIR VERSION OF IT.

THE LORD IS INTERESTED IN THE EVIDENCE OF HUMILITY AND THE EVIDENCE OF GRACE.

These key character issues attract the pure and simple Presence of the Lord. Blessed are the PURE in heart...for they shall see God.

Until the Body of Christ that has been through many difficult and shattering events, rids itself of bitter and venomous words against one another and accepts that each one like sheep have gone astray and turned to what pleased them at the moment, there will be little evidence of much harvest .

THE LOST AND CONFUSED WORLD OUT THERE WATCHES CHRISTIANS TEAR EACH OTHER TO SHREDS DAILY AND WONDERS WHY WE ARE ASKING THEM TO JOIN US!

Remember Christ’s two great commandments—love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself.

SELF-CENTEREDNESS IS THE REVERSAL OF THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. Self-centeredness means to place ourselves first, in effect proclaiming our own form of self-government (not needing or wanting the advice or insight of others), therefore our neighbors become an afterthought, and God becomes simply a convenience to be considered only when it’s helpful to us.

It is evident even in our language that self-centeredness is woven into the fabric of the human experience.

THE ONE TRUE SACRIFICIAL MODEL TOLD US THAT HE WOULD SEND THE VERY SPIRIT OF GOD IN ORDER TO CONVICT ALL PEOPLE OF SIN, TO COMFORT, TO GUIDE, AND TO SET THEM FREE.

 Indeed. The very evidence of a redemptive type of life, is in one who washes the feet of his/her brothers and his/her enemies in an act of cleansing the dirt from the road of life off of the pathway to the Truth.

May we truly hear the sound of the unmistakable heartbeat of a redemptive model rising up in clear resounding purity, personal transparency, and in the covering of the multitude of sins by speaking and meditating only on those things that are noble, just, pure, and of a good report.

AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS NATIONS, THE ANTIDOTE TO ARROGANCE AND SELF-CENTEREDNESS IS A HEAVY DOSE OF HUMILITY. That is; a profound willingness to recognize the value, and respect the dignity of every human life. And, furthermore, a humble heart calls us to seek and serve Christ in ALL persons by giving of ourselves willingly for the welfare of other people.

THE LORD SAYS,

"Do not let a wise man brag about how wise he is. Do not let a strong man boast about how strong he is. Do not let  a rich person brag about how rich he is.

But here is what the one who brags should boast about. He should brag that he has understanding and knows me. I want him to know that I am the Lord.</p