(Part 7–Your Relationship with God)
We all have strange ideas when we think of what God requires of us? Is it that God wants us to do some mighty things for Him? Does He want us to go to some foreign land as a missionary? Is God asking me to teach a Sunday School class? Is He asking me to be more loving to my family and friends? The truth is that all these things are secondary as far as the question what God requires of you is concerned.
The answer has been already given to us through a prophet. Through him God said, “Walk humbly with your God.” That is what God requires of you.
That is not as simple as it sounds. Simply because we are naturally proud-proud about our abilities, proud about our spiritual achievements, proud about our family heritage, proud about our Church and traditions, proud about our academic qualifications, proud about our beauty and strength, proud about wisdom that we have and not to mention being proud about money and power. The list is endless.
The truth is that God detests the proud. He is unable to do anything through proud people. So He gives grace to the humble. Now we can choose to be humble. Again there is a wrong idea associated with humility. Some people show others they are humble by the dress they wear or by the low quality of material things they use. Honestly, these outward things need not be signs of true humility.
True humility comes at a huge price. Often we need to ask God to humble us before He can use us. It takes a lot of painful experiences to humble us. It is not easy at all. Therefore God takes a lot of time and patience to teach us humility. Difficult circumstances and people are two of the best ways in which He breaks down our pride. Sometimes He also allows physical illness or weaknesses to do the job.
Humility comes when we realize how utterly sinful we are in God’s eyes. Our Church attendance, giving money to the poor, Bible reading, singing, praying and all sorts of good things can cause pride in us. And this kind of pride is something God does not tolerate. It brings our downfall too. Most horrible is the “I am better than you, I am holier than you” attitude that many of us have. God has to break this down before He can do anything through us.
A truly humble person has the servant-attitude of Jesus Christ. He did not hold on to His equality with God but humbled Himself to become one just like us. So also we are called not to hold on to certain rights, but to make ourself of little significance to be useful to God.
Again, a truly humble person is a broken person. Personal suffering and concern for the people of God and the salvation of people who live in sin cause this brokenness. Only when one is broken in spirit will one truly depend on God. He will die to personal ambitions and live only for the glory of God. And he will consider others better than himself.
So consider today whether your relationship with God is marked by a humble walk with your God? If not, ask God’s help. Ask Him to give you a humble heart. The answer might come in ways you never expected. Sometimes it comes through words or actions of the person or persons you love most in your life. The process by which humility comes is not pleasant at all. But in later years, you will look back and thank God for humbling you. Till then, know that God dwells with those who are humble in heart.