Humiliation or Humility

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

‘God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.’

 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-6

True Humility Is Not Thinking Less of Yourself, It’s Thinking of Yourself Less. -C.S. Lewis

Many of you are suffering or have suffered humiliation–that searing, shaming, sticky and stuck feeling that you are no good and will never be good, which we may translate into not belonging, not being accepted, and not being loved. From having toilet paper stuck to my shoe in front of the whole office to being called a whore in my teens because of my make-up. Devastating! There are no words that are descriptive enough to define the pain. What a confidence destroyer! That’s humiliation. It’s so closely related to shame. Both are big fat lies!

Humility doesn’t mean humiliation at all! It means knowing my strengths and weaknesses. It means knowing who is in control and who isn’t. It means knowing when to serve and when to be served. It means learning all the wonderful things we are as a Child of God and sharing this with others. It means making mistakes and getting back up in grace. It means learning effective and caring communication. It means knowing who is God and who is not. It means asking the One who designed us who we are and what our purpose is with thanks. We have a purpose. A good and rewarding purpose. Really!

Musings

I can list so many times I fooled myself thinking I knew better than the Father. For instance, If I love XYZ enough, he’ll stop drinking. If I work myself to the bone, I’ll be successful. If I do this or that for XYZ, they will accept me. That’s false humility mixed with a big dose of manipulation. It always disappoints. Sometimes it leads to humiliation. It is based on what we do rather than who we are—A child of the Most High.

Our Father has written a Handbook with all we need for an abundant and loving life. It starts with His incomprehensible love for us along with joyful self-discovery.

Prayer

Dear Father,

The World blasts us with thousands of messages about who we should be, what we should do, how we should look and sometimes we internalize this with heartbreaking results. Help us to come back to You whenever we feel humiliated and truly take in and see who we are in You–without shame or reproach.

 Humiliation was endured by Jesus for our sake so we can walk in the newness of life—with purpose.

Thank you.