Proverbs 11:2 “ ... with humility comes wisdom.”
We are given humbling experiences to hone our character much like we hone our skills as a writer. Some of us are born into humble circumstances to help us become better human beings. Those of us who are given a higher quality of life or are blessed with things: houses, cars, and all the things money can buy, must be humbled in other ways. Some of these ways may include addictions to drugs, gambling, alcohol or the like. These are like thorns in our sides, our weaknesses that follow us through life. They are used to hone the ways of humility into our personal character. They are given to us as gifts in order to remind us that we need God. To call bad circumstances a gift of humility may seem a bit of a stretch or even ridiculous to some of you, but please hear me out.
We are not just physical beings here on earth, who wander aimlessly without purpose. We are very spiritual beings with a strong sense of spiritual need and understanding. These physical thorns serve to remind of us of how fragile we all really are. Even the strongest man can get sick with a fatal decease that will ultimately kill his body. Yet, our spirit lives on and, depending on what state that spirit is in by the time we leave this world, will determine our final fate or destination.
When one has a child who suffers with addiction, yet you, the parent, may not have this problem, the experience serves to hone the character of humility into your own life as well. The embarrassment of having a child or loved one arrested and/or incarcerated or placed in rehab forces one to come down from his or her own pedestal so-to-speak, to get a grip on the same reality that many people must face each day, and to remember that we are all only frail humans.
This is why many of us suffer. This is why even Christians must suffer. Because we are so full of ourselves – so vain glorious, selfish, and prideful that not even God Himself can get through to us otherwise. He uses suffering to get our attention. He allows bad things to happen to us in order for us to learn and grow and become better and stronger people. It's been said that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. This is much easier said than done, but it is also true when we allow ourselves to see humbling experiences in this way. Going through a rape, an unsolicited or unwarranted incident that brings harm to you or a loved one, makes having to forgive the perpetrator(s) difficult to say the least and for many may seem impossible. Yet, Christ forgave us and paid the price for our incarceration of sin when he went to the cross and died for the sins of the world. God forgave all of mankind for killing His Son when Jesus' blood, the blood of the Lamb of God, was shed on the cross once and for all.
With this understanding, one may come to see humility as a gift, in whatever form it may come. No matter how unwelcomed, unfounded, or undesirable it may be, humility is here for a purpose, to make us more like Christ: more loving, more compassionate, more caring, more self-sacrificing and giving.
Such individual experiences provide inspirational writings that may then serve to help those who may be going through similar situations. Oh dear writer, be open to the Holy Spirit and what He is working in your life today. Be not afraid to write or to be vulnerable in sharing your personal experiences. They were given to you for such a time as this, for those who struggle to live today.
What humbling experiences can you share with others today?
We are given humbling experiences to hone our character much like we hone our skills as a writer. Some of us are born into humble circumstances to help us become better human beings. Those of us who are given a higher quality of life or are blessed with things: houses, cars, and all the things money can buy, must be humbled in other ways. Some of these ways may include addictions to drugs, gambling, alcohol or the like. These are like thorns in our sides, our weaknesses that follow us through life. They are used to hone the ways of humility into our personal character. They are given to us as gifts in order to remind us that we need God. To call bad circumstances a gift of humility may seem a bit of a stretch or even ridiculous to some of you, but please hear me out.
We are not just physical beings here on earth, who wander aimlessly without purpose. We are very spiritual beings with a strong sense of spiritual need and understanding. These physical thorns serve to remind of us of how fragile we all really are. Even the strongest man can get sick with a fatal decease that will ultimately kill his body. Yet, our spirit lives on and, depending on what state that spirit is in by the time we leave this world, will determine our final fate or destination.
When one has a child who suffers with addiction, yet you, the parent, may not have this problem, the experience serves to hone the character of humility into your own life as well. The embarrassment of having a child or loved one arrested and/or incarcerated or placed in rehab forces one to come down from his or her own pedestal so-to-speak, to get a grip on the same reality that many people must face each day, and to remember that we are all only frail humans.
This is why many of us suffer. This is why even Christians must suffer. Because we are so full of ourselves – so vain glorious, selfish, and prideful that not even God Himself can get through to us otherwise. He uses suffering to get our attention. He allows bad things to happen to us in order for us to learn and grow and become better and stronger people. It's been said that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. This is much easier said than done, but it is also true when we allow ourselves to see humbling experiences in this way. Going through a rape, an unsolicited or unwarranted incident that brings harm to you or a loved one, makes having to forgive the perpetrator(s) difficult to say the least and for many may seem impossible. Yet, Christ forgave us and paid the price for our incarceration of sin when he went to the cross and died for the sins of the world. God forgave all of mankind for killing His Son when Jesus' blood, the blood of the Lamb of God, was shed on the cross once and for all.
With this understanding, one may come to see humility as a gift, in whatever form it may come. No matter how unwelcomed, unfounded, or undesirable it may be, humility is here for a purpose, to make us more like Christ: more loving, more compassionate, more caring, more self-sacrificing and giving.
Such individual experiences provide inspirational writings that may then serve to help those who may be going through similar situations. Oh dear writer, be open to the Holy Spirit and what He is working in your life today. Be not afraid to write or to be vulnerable in sharing your personal experiences. They were given to you for such a time as this, for those who struggle to live today.
What humbling experiences can you share with others today?
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