Humility as a Gateway to Trust
My meditation, this morning, is on humility, God’s strength in our weakness, patience, faithfulness, and trust in God’s righteous judgment. My primary Scripture reading, today, is from Chapter 8 of St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans:
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.
What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Romans 8:26–28,31–35,37
When we obey God, He is close to us, He will hear our prayers, and He will use even the worst, most painful circumstances of our lives to bring about good.
“The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”
Proverbs 15:29
Humility is the path to righteousness. Arrogance (pride + self-centeredness) is the light that illuminates the path of the wicked.
“Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.”
Proverbs 21:4
To live a righteous life, one must embrace selflessness and humility. This will require patience, for these are traits that can only be cultivated with great effort over time.
Our natural instincts are for self-preservation and self-interest, especially in matters pertaining to our material existence. The preservation and best interests of the soul, however, are best served when these instincts are retrained and refocused primarily on spiritual, rather than material, goods.
Such retraining is so difficult that one often may find himself confused and unsure even of what it is for which he ought to pray. In these moments, ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on behalf of your heart’s righteous desires in a way that is consistent with God’s will.
Jesus provided the best example of this when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene:
“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.’”
Matthew 26:39
In our darkest days, when we don’t even know what to say to God, let this be our prayer. God will hear us, and work in our lives to produce good. Be patient and humble, be faithful in prayer, and trust in the love Christ has for you.
© 2021 Noel Bagwell. All Right Reserved.
