All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (vss. 5b-6 NIV)How do I clothe myself with humility? How do I humble myself? Every time I attempt to do so, by this means or that means, I find myself taking credit for it. And even if I give God credit for accomplishing something in me, in my heart I become proud of the fact that I gave credit to God for helping me be humble. And if I give credit to God for helping me give credit to him. . . . the same result. Everywhere I turn, my pride confronts me.
Even in writing this, I find myself admiring myself, saying, "Ahh, what wisdom, what self-knowledge, what humility" and deep-down hoping that others might think the same.
I don't know how to humble myself, for if I do it, I will take credit for it. How do I boast in my weaknesses, without regarding such boasting to be my strength, and so defeat the entire purpose?
I am hesitant to ask God to give me a humility found apart from my efforts, because I suspect that my pride is like a deadly cancer growing within me which can only be removed by painful surgery. I'd rather it'd be as simple as pressing a button and having it removed in a moment — no pain, no struggle, no loss.
But why should I consider myself better than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who,
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. . . (Hebrews 5:8-9)Indeed, Peter instructs us earlier in his letter:
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)Lest I confuse this attitude with dejection and self-pity, as if sighing to myself "Woe is me, for I am suffering", he goes on to say:
Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (4:13)Dejection in the face of suffering would be the response of pride, which wishes that I did not have to undergo suffering, because it thinks that I should be better than to need it. Rejoicing is the response of humility, for it recognizes that my soul is in desperate need of healing, and that this suffering is its medicine and path to union with God.
I cannot dispense the necessary medicine to myself, for I am incapable of knowing the correct prescription for my needs, nor can I operate on myself. Instead, I will simply have to be silent and wait for Him to do as he will.
