Cultivating Humility

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NLT 

To think of others as better than yourself can, at times, seem arduous, annoying, and difficult. Each of us is, after all, only human, and it is in our very nature to be selfish and filled with pride. We are susceptible to acting out in anger, to being belligerent when we feel backed into a corner. Nevertheless, God has called us to be the better person in our relationships, to selflessly share His love with others, the kind of love that caused Jesus to choose the cross on our behalf. The standard set before us is high, but we can rise to the occasion.  

Although you may often fail in your attempts toward humility, don’t give up. God is faithful, even when we are not. The Holy Spirit stands ready to help you and enable you to accomplish this herculean task. When you set your mind to treat others as better than yourself and give others the benefit of the doubt, your relationships will not only be saved, but they will flourish. 

With God’s help, you can choose not to react in anger or pride. You can be the better person. You can put others higher than yourself. With the Holy Spirit’s assistance, and in God’s love and through His grace, you can infuse your words and actions with humility and treat others with respect and kindness, no matter how they treat you—good or bad. As you allow God to use you to be the good you want to see in the world, thank Him for working through you to restore relationships and practice love through humility in each interaction today. 

PRAYER 

Jesus, I thank You for the fact that even though You are God, You did not hold tightly to the claim that You are equal with Your Father. Instead, in humility, You chose the cross and died on my behalf. Lord, I am so thankful that You are present and listening to me today. The Bible says that if I ask, it will be given to me, and so I ask You today for humility in my relationships. I want to be a person who treats others with the utmost respect and kindness, to put others before myself. Even if others hurt me or hinder my goals, I commit to my choice to be the better person, because You have made the way possible for me. Teach me Your humility and free me from my pride, I pray. Thank You for helping me to succeed in this important task. Amen. 

This is an excerpt from Morning Gratitude: Inspiring Moments to Start Your Day by Pray.com – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.