Small thoughts, big practices: Humility

Truthfully, you are your own worst enemy; I am my own worst enemy. 

I'm not going to try to spin it into something inspirational such as: "Work with yourself not against yourself!! :D :D!!" And while I could very well say that, the reason why we fight ourselves so often is pride. It's the prideful you that needs to get knocked down a few levels. 

Working into humility is no cake walk either. Philippians, while inspiring, paints a difficult picture for Christians to follow: 

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phil. 2:3-4) 

Definitely not my strong suit. So how do I get there, where do I start? The verse that comes to my mind is this:

"But by the grace of God I am what I am..." (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Paul learned humility in his growing relationship with Christ. 

Paul knew where he came from and who he was before Jesus, and he knew who he was now being transformed into because of Jesus. Humility is born out of knowing and living in the grace of God. 

Knowing the amazing grace of God comes from knowing God. Living in the grace of God is a daily exercise of your freewill; choosing to live a life of constant worship, in conscious knowledge that your every moment and breath is a gift of grace. 

Humility is not putting myself down, it is not saying that one person is more worthy than me. Humility says "God is great, and I have infinite value and worth because of who He is." It is seeing the worth that God has given to each person who is a part of the body of Christ, and saying the same about them. 

How do I consider others more significant than myself? What Paul says in Philippians is not to consider yourself as insignificant in comparison with others, but to put the needs of others before yourself. As C.S Lewis puts it: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less."  It is in God's love and grace in which I desire to love others and consider their needs more significant than my own; when I see how much God treasures others and gifts them, I in turn treasure them and am humbled by the grace He shows them. 

Delving deeper into the character of God, focusing on Him and experiencing His constant grace humbles me. 

Desiring God humbles me, it is spurred on by the Spirit of God within me; I desire to do anything for Him and I so desperately desire to be transformed into the character of Christ that He so desires in me.