I mean, I’d rather be Carol, but who’s naming names?
(And if you caught that reference, I commend you.)
If we’re on our high horse, or we’re getting a little too big for our britches, God is gonna humble us. Pride has no place in His kingdom. Whether you realize it or not, He will. The greater you think you are, the greater the pain from the fall you’re going to take when He brings you back to reality. I’ve had to be brought down from my pride a few times, and it is not a pretty fall.
That’s how Lucifer fell from heaven, remember? Isaiah 14 talks about that quite well. And look at where that guy is now!
But seriously.
We all need to keep that in mind when we start to think we have it all together, or we know so much about God, theology, philosophy, or the Bible. You can never know it all. God in Himself is too much for any of our human minds to understand. Once you start thinking you know enough or a little more than someone else, God will take care of that. Proverbs 18:12 states: “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.”
Being humbled isn’t a pretty experience, trust me. I’ve had it happen a few times. But it is needed. He cannot work in us & through us if we do not approach Him (in prayer, in the Word, in conversation with Him, in our daily lives) with humility and let Him do His work. When we think, “I’ve got this,” He will no longer be shown in our labors. Without spiritual fruit, the world cannot see His love.
I’ve been reading many of Spurgeon’s sermons lately. In his 97th sermon, he speaks on the verse I quoted above. He describes pride, very eloquently, and states that the seat of pride is the heart. He also says that the consequence of pride is destruction.
”When men have become proud, destruction has come upon them… Do you see that man after God’s own heart, continually singing his Maker’s praise? Can aught make him sad? Can you suppose that he shall ever be laid prostrate on the earth, groaning, and crying, and asking ‘that the bones which God hath broken may rejoice?’ Yes, pride can do that.” - C.H. Spurgeon
In the same sermon, Spurgeon also talks about humility. I’ve always wondered what a proper, Godly definition to humility would be. Spurgeon puts it plainly:
“Humility is to feel that we have no power of ourselves, but that it all cometh from God. Humility is to lean on our Beloved, to believe that He has trodden the winepress alone, to lie on His bosom and slumber sweetly there, to exalt Him, and think less than nothing of ourselves. It is in fact, to annihilate self, and to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as all in all.”
He goes on to say that the seat of humility must also be the heart. “I do hate, of all things, that humility which lives in the face. There are some persons who always seem to be so very humble when you are with them, but you can discover there is something underneath it all… I dislike that humility which rests in outward things,” Spurgeon says.
My favorite part of this sermon is when he speaks of how to obtain true humility.
He says, “Humility is a thing which must be genuine; the imitation of it is the nearest thing in the world to pride. Seek of God, dear friends, the gift of true humility. Seek to have that breaking in pieces by the Holy Spirit, that breaking in the mortar with the pestle which God Himself gives to His children.”
I highly advise you read the entire sermon, given the chance. I feel like this is something we all deal with, especially if we are placed in a leadership or something of that sort. I only say that because that is when I dealt with it most heavily. I’ve seen and experienced both sides of this. I just felt I should discuss with you guys.
Sorry if this seems jumbled. It is late. These are just some thoughts I had tonight after having good spiritual conversations with the roommate, reading the Word and reading through Spurgeon’s sermons. If you have anything to add, I’d love to hear it. And feel free to correct me if you don’t agree. Please. If I’m wrong in my thoughts, or even in posting this, I’d like to know.
I love you all.
