God blesses the humble person and resists the proud. If I humble myself in the sight of the Lord, he will lift me up.

But what is humility? Try to define this yourself, but do not confuse humility with humiliation which is admitting how messed up and weak and foolish I am and being filled with self loathing as a result. This is still pride, because I am getting my worth security and strength from what I can OR CAN’T do.

Here’s some help: presumably humility would be the opposite of Pride. Pride=Attaching my sense of worth, strength and security to myself.

What would be the opposite? Attaching all of my worth and strength and security to God and his opinion of me, and not twisting him into a God who despises and hates me but realizing that, when my heart condemns me God is greater than my heart and there is therefore NO condemnation from him to me. So humility is agreeing with God and liking myself and confidently coming to his throne and crying “Papa” and asking for my needs. I John 3:19-21

There are two parts to humility:

A. ADMITTING that:

• in me dwells no good thing
• I have weaknesses that others may not have
• I can not trust my intelligence because my thoughts are not his thoughts nor my ways his ways
• my natural bent is to do the opposite of what actually works (God’s way). ROM 7.18
• I am weak without God, I can do NOTHING

B. FEELING, THINKING and ACTING in my infinite worth, strength and wisdom in God. PHIL 4.13

Delighting in my new righteousness in Christ, Boldly grabbing God given tasks that are beyond my ability, when he asks me to. Firmly standing up for the truths of the scripture against even the most intelligent educated fool that has said in his heart “there is no God”. Joyfully examining my every thought and  urge and delighting in seeing how wrong I am and how right he is. Stepping out to do his will remembering that with God I can do all things.

If I deny my weakness in order to feel strong and worthwhile, then I am proud and can not deal with the reality of my need because I have watered my need down and my perception no longer matches reality.

If I admit my weakness and wallow in self-contempt, then I am proud because I am still attaching my worth to myself. Self-contempt is pride! How amazing that God can love me, strengthen me, and use me to bless others considering what he has to work with, but he can and does!

The first speck of humility occurs at the moment of salvation. There are NO humble unsaved people because they must either like themselves based on works or hate themselves based on works. To be saved I must admit that I am a sinner and deserve eternity in Hell and can not pay for any of my sin. I must then cast myself on the mercy of the Father based on the finished work of his Son on the cross. Then ACCEPT the forgiveness and delight in who I now am in him. This humility should grow throughout my life, this great gap between my sin and his salvation should drive my zeal and gratitude to ever greater expression. My seeing that (in me dwells no good thing, that without him I can do nothing and that my wisdom is foolishness to him) should INCREASE throughout my life. My seeing and acting and rejoicing in my infinite righteousness, strength and wisdom in him should also increase throughout my whole life. THE GAP IS THE MEASURE OF MY HUMILITY

LORD HELP ME TO HUMBLE MYSELF IN YOUR SIGHT THEN LIFT ME UP TO YOURSELF.