“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10, ESV)
Yes, you can! You can be whatever you want to be. If you set your mind to it, nothing is impossible. This is the mantra we hear. These are lessons we instill in our children. But as we enter into adulthood, we settle for something less. We allow mediocrity to become the default.
As I write this, my dream of becoming professional ball player has come and gone. I have now reached that age where every player in Major League Baseball is younger than I am. Instead of aspiring to what I could be, I am now reflecting on what could have been. As much as I aspire to accomplish this dream, it is not going to happen. I have accepted it.
There is a bit of humility to recognize that it is not happening. Humility is a good thing. James tells us if we humble ourselves before the Lord, that he will lift you up. Humility is to recognize that you are not everything you think you are or want to be. Humility helps you to see yourself for who you are and helps you:
See what is possible
While it might not be possible for you to accomplish one dream, God has given you some other great things to aspire towards. Humility will give you eyes to see other doors God may be opening up. Instead of setting your heart so much on what you want, set your heart on what God wants. Sometimes having your heart so set on your dream may blind you to God’s desires for you.
Ask for help
We don’t like to ask for help. One of the most popular sections in the book store is the self-help section. We pride ourselves on being self-made. Admitting that we need help can be terribly difficult. But if you could have solved your problem on your own, you would have already done it. The reason that so many of us are held back from the abundance God wants to pour into our lives is that we have not humbled ourselves to ask for help.
Admit you are wrong
There are times when you stay on a course because you don’t want to admit you are wrong. We are stubborn. We would rather die on our hill than to get down off of it. We think that admitting we were wrong is to admit that we are inferior. But if I had a dollar for every time I was wrong, I would be a millionaire. But I don’t need a million dollars because I am already blessed by being able to admit I was wrong. Because I can admit I am wrong, I can walk in the truth.
Many people find it difficult to examine their faith. They find it hard to ask the difficult questions. I believe the reason for that is a fear that we might discover that our faith has been misplaced. But if you are confident that your faith is in the truth, there should be no reason why you would not want to examine it. And if your faith is misplaced, are you not better off letting go of it to walk in the truth? The point is don’t be afraid to be wrong.
Be teachable
There is always something to learn. No matter how much talent and ability I have, no matter how much experience I acquire, there is always something to learn. The thing that often separates the professional from the amateur is being teachable. The moment you become complacent is the moment an industry passes you by. Humility is to recognize that you may be gifted and that God has tremendously blessed you in a certain area, but that you still have room to grow.
Reflection
- Where do you need to ask for help?
- Where do you need to admit you are wrong?
- Where do you have room to grow?
Susan says
This post was exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank you!