Humility

What a difficult word to grasp. God has been bringing it up over and over in my life lately. It's hard to focus solely on giving God glory, and looking past being hurt. I watched a Matt Chandler video about our lives not being about us. Everything in my life should be about bringing God glory. period. If I am hurt or neglected, it doesn't matter, because my life should be about him. This world WILL disappoint. The only thing we know for sure is that Christ will never leave us. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our disappointments and insecurities and every sin that we face. He loves us in spite of those things and he wants us to glorify Him even when we are going through them. He also wants us to glorify Him when things are going wonderfully, thanking Him for every tiny detail of our day. Some people find it easier to love God when things go our way. They have a 'if you make MY life good, than I will praise you' mentality. Others find it easier to cling to God when things are difficult. They lean towards a 'if you hold me tightly while I got through ______ & comfort me, then I will love you'.

Think about it, we all fall into at least one category, if not both at one point or another. I know I do. Where in the world do we get this idea that anything is about us?? We are wretched sinners, saved solely by the fact our God loves us unconditionally... something I will never be able to fully grasp. It's frustrating to know I do anything BUT glorify Him through every part of my life. But I don't.

I'm reading Ruthless Trust right now, and Brennan Manning spends a great chapter on this word, 'Humility.' Below are some quotes that I definitely need to spend this week chewing on!

"Humble men and women do not have a low opinion of themselves; they have no opinion of themselves, because they so rarely think about themselves. The heart of humility lies in undivided attention to God..."

"No longer concerned with appearing to be good, we can move freely in the mystery of who we really are, aware of the sovereignty of God and of our absolute insufficiency and yet moved by a spirit of radical self-acceptance without self-concern."

"Humble people are small in their own eyes, honest about their struggles, and open to constructive criticism... They trust that they are loved, accepted, forgiven, and redeemed just as they are."

In utter self-forgetfulness, Jesus lived for God. The central theme in his personal life was the growing intimacy with, trust in, and love of his Abba. He lived securely in his Father's acceptance."

"The humble woman is grateful for her successes but not disheartened by her failures. She enjoys her gifts and readily admits her mistakes."

I pray I may find joy and delight simply and solely in pleasing Jesus.