Get Low to Get Up

It’s the humble person God is looking for. The humble is who He exalts. If you generally feel down, you are close to the right position before God. The problem is, most who feel crushed, weak and emotionally helpless turn their focus inward rather than call out to God. If that’s you, remember you are a silver goblet in the making, and the dross that needs to be skimmed off is that tendency to writhe in emotional anguish with no thought of God. He’s right there with you. Call out to Him.

How does a person become humble, by the way. Humble means to lower yourself, to reduce yourself to a plain. You do it through submitting to God and to others. While humility is a standing (or lowering) within yourself, submission is a standing (or lowering) to God and others. Humble and submit are similar, aren’t they? You might be humble in heart, but to submit, there’s someone outside you that you are lowering yourself before. Consider this: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Pet. 5:5-6)

You let others be more important than you. You let them go first. You put yourself last. I know, it’s not natural. Submission isn’t a quality you pray for. It’s something you willingly, consciously do. Look at the verbs in the above verses. Submit yourselves… be subject one to another… be clothed with humility… Humble yourselves.

The best example I can think of is Jesus, God made flesh. He came from the most exalted position to live among us. And he didn’t come to be ministered to, but to minister (Mark 10:45). He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death (Phil. 2:8). He came from as high as you can come to go as low as you can go. And he did it consciously… willingly. Just how was He able to do that? Here’s how:  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. (1 Pet. 2:23) He didn’t stand up for Himself. He didn’t say, “Hey, do you know who my Father is?” He said nothing. Instead, He put Himself in God’s hands. And that’s what you do when you submit to God and humble yourself. You commit yourself to God, not just once in your life, but daily. Maybe hourly.

So, here’s the point for today. When you feel crushed, weak, beaten down and emotionally helpless, submit to God.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15-16)

To look around is to be distressed. To look within is to be depressed. To look up is to be blessed.