Humility—It’s the one thing you don’t have if you say you have it.
I think one of the reasons Paul made such a strong emphasis on boasting about his weakness was because of the incredible amount of life change he was seeing happen through his ministry. If Paul was a pastor today he would be one of the most recognized names in the world.
Think about how easy all the success could have led him to believe it was him doing all the work.
Boasting in his weakness allowed him to see how poor he was without the Spirit of God within him, leading him. I wonder if all our focus on strengths and building them, while ignoring weakness, is leading us to develop our pride instead of our humility.
When I work out of my weaknesses I am forced to rely on God’s power because I know I cannot accomplish the goal on my own power. Working out of my strengths often leads me toward autonomy where I become the commander of my coming destiny. One leads to God honoring humility, the other leads to self-exalting pride.
Augustine of Hippo, a fifth-century bishop and theologian, wrote, “The way to Christ is first through humility, second through humility, third through humility. If humility does not precede and accompany and follow every good work we do, if it is not before us to focus on, if it is not beside us to lean upon, if it is not behind us to fence us in, pride will wrench from our hand any good deed we do at the very moment we do it” (emphasis mine).
Spend some time doing some of the things you aren’t good at. Do something that zaps you of all your energy.
Try ignoring the things you know you do well.
In the process, you’ll begin relying on and connecting with God in a whole new way.
Some of you are waiting for a breakthrough with God, and all the while He’s been waiting for you to get out of your own way.
