Humbly Seek God
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.
James 4:7-10 (NLT)
How humble are you? Trick question, right? It’s not exactly something you can brag about because the moment you do—it’s no longer true. But we’re called to humble ourselves before God. There are some verses in Scripture that we may find confusing or unclear. What James says in the passage above is obvious: humility is an integral part of a healthy relationship with God.
The good news is that when we humbly seek God, He promises we’ll find Him. He’s not playing some cosmic game of hide and seek. When we come close to Him, He draws close to us. If you’re at a place right now where there’s separation between you and God, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is you’re the one who moved and created that separation. I know that stings, but there’s good news! When we repent and return to Him, He’s ready and willing to restore. Like the father who waited and watched for the prodigal son, our Heavenly Father stands waiting and watching for us.
At Christmas, we celebrate God drawing close to us through the birth of His Son Jesus. John 1:14 (NLT) says it this way:
So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Today is the day. Don’t rationalize or equivocate or delay. Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you in honor.
Application: What do you need to confess to God? In what ways do you need to repent and humble yourself today? You may feel the Holy Spirit’s conviction and know immediately. If not, pray Psalm 139:23-24.
Prayer:
Father,
Humble me today. Help me remember that You are the vine, and I am the branch. Apart from You, I can do nothing. Strip away my pride and arrogance that I might walk in Your ways. Thank You for Your forgiveness.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?