The Endless Search for Humility


The Lord has been trying to shake me awake. Trying to pull me out of my arrogance and teach me the true meaning of humility. 


“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt 5:5.

For the longest time, I never understood the connection between meekness and inheriting the earth. What does one have to do with the other? But I think I’m finally understanding. God does not want for His followers to come to the false conclusion that they are responsible for the blessings in their lives. In the second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul tells us that after all of the amazing miracles and wonders God worked through him, he was given a “thorn in the flesh…an angel of Satan, to beat [him], to keep [him] from being too elated.” 2 Cor 12:7. That is some powerful imagery.

In order for Paul to stay meek, he needed to remember that he was mere human. And by remembering his humanity, Paul would be forced to rely on the Lord for everything. And by relying on the Lord, the power of God was able to move through him, “for power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:9.

The very reason I started this blog was out of a search for humility. Writing here forces me to be more transparent, and therefore, more authentic. Something that people often misunderstand about humility is that it’s not simply being modest about one's talents. It’s not a shying away from glory. Quite the contrary, it is a turning towards true glory. It is a distinction between truth and falsity –an authenticity.
There’s nothing prideful in knowing one’s strengths, only in boasting of them. Similarly, it is not humble to despair over one’s failures. In fact, despairing in such a way is rooted in pride. It is an unwillingness to accept what we all need to accept: that we’re human. We have flaws. We will make mistakes. Anyone who can accept that other people will fail should be able to accept that he himself will fail. Otherwise, he should ask himself, “What makes me so special? Why is it so important that I succeed and not others?”

True humility means we have an awareness of our weaknesses with the understanding that it’s all part of being human. Humility also means we have an awareness of our strengths with the understanding that they’re all gifts from God, without whom, we would be incapable of doing anything.

I need to learn this.

As I’ve said on my home page, the website title is a misnomer. I’m not wise. But I’m searching for wisdom. I’m always on the lookout for answers, direction, purpose. It is out of humility that I call myself WiseGal. It forces me to face the fact that I really don’t know anything. I am made aware of that fact regularly. I hope that helps me grow in humility.

Help me Lord, to know what you know. Help me to know that no matter how often I fail, I am always precious in Your eyes. For it is not my accomplishments or shortcomings, but my identity as a child of God that defines me.

To God be the Glory!

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