A Humbling Time
My husband came home from work drained from the latest corporate shenanigans. As I listened to the details of his day and heard how the latest events were a blow to him and in turn us, I shared what became clear to me in my prayer time earlier that day. “Perhaps we’re going through a time of humbling.” He nodded in agreement.
What did I mean by a time of humbling? Our plans weren’t coming to fruition the way we thought they would – money wasn’t flowing at a pace we anticipated; career dreams were stalled or in my case dashed; our living situation had not changed in eleven years. And the latest news about a boss who used her power to affect his bonus just added to this pile. This felt so hard.
As I mulled our current situation over in my mind, I asked this question of my two best friends: “Have you ever gone through a time of humbling?”
We are the very best of friends and share everything, but the responses to this question floored me. The honesty was raw and the humbling experiences though they seemed soul-crushing at the time propelled each of us to a better place.
The first friend shared one of her most uncomfortably demeaning times. She had purchased her dream house and was doing well in her career. But then the rug was pulled out from under her in the form of job loss, and she had to let it all go. She got rid of prized possessions, endured a house foreclosure, then was forced to pack what little she had left and relocate across the country to start all over. She learned that possessions meant little and that God was with her the entire time.
My other friend shared that she fights being humbled, even when God is clearly saying this is where you need to be right now. She fights accepting what God has in store for her. She felt that she wasn’t where she thought she should be regarding accomplishments, at this stage of the game. But when she fights, it doesn’t feel rewarding and that in and of itself eventually humbles her. She realized that her arms are too short to box with God.
God brings the most faithful to the brink of despair, and in our humbling it produces humility. Humility is a necessary component for navigating life with Christ. Humility recognizes the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of God. It is without pride or arrogance. Being humbled is accepting where God has you. Sometimes we think we have arrived especially when we are at the pinnacle of success, but life is not a destination. We think we should be further ahead, but God who sees all and knows all says that’s not exactly what I have in store for you right now. So he shifts and turns us by our circumstances, and it takes us a while to see what He is doing. We forget that He is in control, but when the rug is pulled from under us, we remember it’s all in his hands. We cry out to him, we lean on him, and we cling to him. In humility, we begin to see and understand His sovereignty.
Many in the Bible went through a time of great humbling. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was told by an angel that she would birth the Messiah. Joseph thought to publicly put her away since she was unwed and pregnant with another man’s child. Even so, both Mary and Joseph accepted God’s will for their lives in that very difficult moment. We know what came of it – Jesus the Savior of the world.
We all will have humbling times in life. Perhaps for you, it’s your season of singleness or an ill-timed word within your marriage. It may be dealing with an exasperating child or climbing the corporate ladder while being outmaneuvered by a demanding boss. Whatever the situation, don’t fight it in your strength and reason; you will become exhausted, bitter and defeated. Instead, humbly rely on his strength to carry you through for his strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Being humbled has increased my faith. I’ve learned that He is with me and will give me what I need for each battle. I’ve learned that he empowers me to fight with the weapons He has provided. I’ve also learned to rest in his loving arms. When you go through a time of humbling, it can lead to humility with a new appreciation of God’s sovereignty, as it did for my friends and I. Finally, know that you’re not alone. God is always with you, and it also helps to have friends that can walk this road with you. In humbling times reach out to Him and those you trust. None of this is for naught: For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory (Psalms 149:4 NLT).
Nylse Esahc
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- A Humbling Time - February 4, 2019
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