Humility and Submission
I have shared that I have been leading Lacey Rozell’s “What if We Pray” Bible Study in our neighborhood. Tonight, we had our weekly session. I will warn you, I have been all over the place today and this may feel a little like a ramble. Today was a difficult day for many reasons. As a dear friend reminded me today, sometimes when we get caught in the storm, we forget to see the Blessings-and the Blessings are there.
In our study tonight, we discussed that we need to be humble before God, and in so doing, we let go of pride and what we “think” is a result of what WE do. When we let go of pride and come to God in humility, we make room for God. When we let go of self, our eyes are opened to all that is around us (it leads to those connections I mentioned in the previous blog). It then makes room for us to submit and trust God- “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25:9, NIV). We are not open to listening and trusting God when we are leaning only on our understanding, on our earthly view of things, on what we think is right. God wants us to trust Him, to submit to Him, and in so doing, He protects us, guides us, refines us, and teaches us.
I listen to a spiritual playlist everyday on the way to work and one of my favorite songs is “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns. My favorite part of the song is the chorus of “Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done, Not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are.” God calls us to be humble, it is not about who we are or what we do. Our protection, our salvation, our peace comes from who God is, and what God does-not us. The only way we can fully accept Him in our life is to submit to Him in humility.
I mentioned those Blessings that my friend reminded me of today-so many Godwinks. For a moment today, several moments, I veered away from my calling and God kept nudging me back. This morning was difficult and as soon as I came into work, a friend shared where a word was used to describe her that may have seemed random, but it was a special word between her and her father. He is no longer with us, but he was on her heart last night and today-and then that word was spoken. It was exactly what she needed to hear in the exact moment that she needed to hear it- Godwink.
I then had a difficult afternoon and you could see the heaviness on my shoulders as I walked in to teach Bible Study, but I showed up, and I prayed. I came humble before the Lord and I listened. I heard the reminder from God through those amazing women in the room that there is a work being done in me, trust, be humble, and submit. I need to focus on my relationship with Him, my journey, my refinement and not just say let go and let God-but let my actions follow my words.
At the end of the night, a dear friend shared that she ended up grabbing her son last weekend and bringing him home…I put that thought in her head the last time we met. When our children want to be home, when they want to be with us, we open our arms. All things fell in place (from canceled and late flights) to enable her to bring him home. That didn’t happen because of what I said, it is because of what He did, who He is-Godwink.
We shared that we all see God working in so many ways. I wondered out loud if it is a movement or if my eyes are open to see them more. I think it is a little of both. As I walk closer to God, I see God more and more and I am forever thankful for it. My life is hard right now and the future is unknown, but what I do know if that God has me and He will not fail me.
Today, I pray that you be humble and submit to God so that He can guide you and teach you. I pray that you be open and willing for the refinement God does in you, that you trust Him above all else. I pray that when you feel or hear those nudges, that they don’t become pushes because you kept ignoring them. “Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV).
