Another Word Regarding Humility

Humility and humiliation are two very different things; do not confuse the two or believe that the Lord intends you the harm of humiliation.  Humility is a virtue adopted by choice; it is a determination to put the needs of others ahead of one's own. By contrast, humiliation is like a weapon in the hand of a bully.  When other people seem to assume that everything about them is of greater importance and value than anything about you, the Lord isn't in this.  He will never tell you that you are less important to Him than someone else. 

Considering others better than yourself does not mean you are unaware of their sins, but that you trust the Lord for your needs and thus do not need to fight for your own rights. It becomes safe for you to consider others ahead of yourself, because you trust the Lord to be your defender. Humility, for a Christian, is not a choice to be inferior, but rather is an outward expression of the confidence you have in Christ to take care of you. God does not want you to see yourself and your needs as being of less worth than those of others.  He want you to rest in the confidence that you are of great value to Him, and that He will not forsake you or forget you.  You have food they do not know of.  Do you see it? 

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

--Ephesians 8:17-19a

On Humility

You are a treasure to the Lord. But do not mistake His love for you as evidence of your superiority.  

False humility is a type of pride. You have developed the habit of groveling because you have become used to the assumption that others may feel jealous or inferior, but this actually communicates  “I know I’m superior to you and I’m trying to put you at your ease.”   

Do not attempt to change your personality, which is a unique and multifaceted jewel, created by God.  You are indeed precious in His sight.  But please do be willing to release your persona, which is something very different.  Your personality is who you were created to be, while your persona is who you want other human beings to think you are. 

Consider an exchange of your persona for that of Christ Jesus. In His human form, Christ was inoffensive (until He stood up to preach) because of His humility. Be inoffensive in your humility. Defer to the desires of others, and let others take the lead.  

When combined with a desire to prove yourself superior, fear of rejection makes you a danger to those you ought to be shepherding with Christ's love.  Let interactions with your fellow human beings be governed by Christ's love and humility.  

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ....
--Romans 13:14

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 

--1 Corinthians 1:27-29

But this beautiful treasure is contained in us—cracked pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us.

--2 Corinthians 4:7 The Voice Translation

Fear Leads to Sin

Fear will cause you to sin. You must operate from a faith perspective or you will continue to struggle with this cycle of sin and self-condemnation. 

Fear does not keep you safe. 

Freedom from fear doesn't come through striving, but is a gift appropriated by faith.  The gift is already given.

Your memories can't be trusted.  Apart from faith you remember the events, but not the sweetness of the Lord's sustenance.  You must know Him in your present in order to believe Him in your past. 

Take the Freedom Path

I tell you, the enemy you face does not come from without but from within.  There is nothing keeping you from blessings but the paralysis of fear through which Satan would afflict you with laziness and overweight, not as primary sins, but as offshoots of a need to escape from the terrible discomfort of fear. 

The Lord is going to make you a way through, Child, but you must have courage to walk the path. 

Ease will come as you walk the freedom path.  Freedom from overweight.  Freedom from weakness.  Freedom from procrastination and its accompanying helplessness of guilt and remorse.  The Lord is with you. There is time yet.  Take the freedom path.  

Scripture:  "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).  

Do Not Give Way to Fear

You fear what will not happen, and this drains your resolve and energy.  Walk in the Lord's freedom, which will not be compromised because it is His and not yours.  By submitting to God you have gained higher ground, above the ability of the enemy to broach.  Do not succumb to the devil's fear tactics.  Stand firm.  This is not too difficult for you; only do not give way to fear. 

Scripture:  “No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them (Numbers 23:21).

The Grace Place

If the Lord’s grace was inadequate to cover any portion of your past, present, or future sin; you would be without hope; Calvary REALLY DID cover it all. You don’t have to fix anything, earn anything, or prove anything in order to abide in His grace right now and for every minute for the rest of your existence, which is eternal because of Him. 

You can give up the fear-push to obey, the “If I don’t get my act together and start doing things right something terrible is going to happen to me and I’ll deserve it” dynamic. You can give that up completely and just revel in His grace. The backwash of such grace (of really believing it and the wonderful freedom of living in it) is incredible love and gratitude for Him who purchased this freedom for You at great cost. This is the grace place; the source from whence true obedience can flow.

Discipline and obedience seem to be restrictive things but in truth, they deepen your capacity to experience joy.  Embrace discipline, revel in obedience; and thus you can prepare a deeper well for joy to fill.  However, because you have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and live in His grace, joy will overtake you whether you prepare or not.  Rest in this promise, rest in this sure fact; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.  

Isaiah 35

Fear Needs to Go

It is not that you need to abide more closely so as not to feel fear, but that fear needs to go so that you can abide more closely. 

The Lord will allow you to undergo a process of discipline and drawing near to Him that will bless you and those you love. 

Freedom from fear will liberate not only you, but also your loved ones. 

Your love for God's word will bear fruit that will bless not only you, but those you love. 

The Lord is rich in mercy; able to sustain that which has been entrusted Him. So often you come to Him because of fear, fear that your sins will be punished as they deserve. Let go this fear, and do not continue in sin so that grace may abound. The Lord Himself sustains you.  

Scripture: "He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him" (1 Thessalonians 5:10).