Our Great Pursuit: The Practice of True Humility (Part 3)

"Here's a scary thought: It's possible to admire humility while remaining proud ourselves" (Mahaney). Our hearts are deceitful and often deceive us into believing things that are not true. The only way that true application of humility can take place in our lives, and pride can be restrained is through "purposeful application of the truth--an effort and pursuit on our part that God will use for sanctifying and transformation in our lives". Often times we say we want to change or that we want to apply certain truths to our lives but we fail to put them into practice because of the lack of making things practical. Throughout the majority of Mahaney's book he gives a list and explanations of countless strategies to apply practically on our pursuit towards humility. Here are some of them:

1. Reflect on the Wonder of the Cross: This habit must be put into practice
on a daily basis in order to mortify your pride. Remembering who we are in regards to Christ and what He did in order that we may even have fellowship with God buts things into perspective rightly. Look at the lyrics to this song and it sums it up so well...When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Begin Your Day Acknowledging Your Need For God: How we begin our mornings often determines the outcome of our entire day. When we start our days off reminding ourselves of our dependence on God and our desperate need for Him our pride is put to shame. Sin is active in our lives, and that includes pride. "Sin doesn't wake up tired,because it hasn't been sleeping. When you wake up in the morning, sin is right there, fully awake, ready to attack." When you wake up and all throughout the day make statements...even out loud...declaring your need for God. Do you speak truth to yourself or do you listen to yourself? Speak truth to yourself and declare war on your pride.

3. Begin Your Day Expressing Gratitude to God: Michael Ramsey once said, "Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not grow". When you begin the morning thanking Him for His constant grace and mercies in your life. Be alert for answered prayers in your life and THANK THE ONE who answered those for you. Don't stop in the morning either...throughout the day continue to thank Him for His evidences of grace everywhere...this will refocus your mind and stop pride in its track.

4. Practice Spiritual Disciplines: These include prayer, study of God's Word and worship. If you begin your day with this your day starts out right. By doing this it refocuses your mind to remembering that you NEED God. Some mornings you will feel a real nearness to the Lord and others maybe not as close but as Mahaney points out, "He may be sending you a message, 'I want you to grow more in your trust in Me; therefore I'm withdrawing my sense of My Nearness.' " No matter how hard it might be for you to begin doing this the more you do it the more you desire it, it is your spiritual food.

5. Seize Your Commute: According to the government the average American commutes daily about 25-minutes to and from work. Many in California spend much more time than that. During that time instead of complaining about the traffic you may be in or thinking about the ten million things you have to do that day, seize the time for memorizing and meditating on Scripture...get an audio recording of Scripture and ponder God's truths and be encouraged.

6. Casting Your Cares Upon Him: 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, "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." When we begin our day by humbling ourselves before our Maker and casting all our cares and worries on Him we are able to depend on Him and find peace. ..this also shoots your pride in the heart. "Acknowledge your need for Me! Cast your cares upon Me, and I will transform you...For though I'm opposed to your pride, I'll give grace to you when you humble yourself, and I'll give grace to you when you humble yourself, and I'll make you care free---not responsibility free, but care free. You'll be free from care. You'll instead be characterized by joy and peace" (Mahaney).

7. Staying Charged Up: We need to get charged up in the morning to last us for the entire day. However we need to bring Him into everything throughout our day so that we may stay charged. Throughout the day many cares and worries will be brought to you, you must refocus and spend time with the Lord then so your attitude can be transformed. "Don't be mistaken. God hasn't gone anywhere. He's just as sovereign, just as good, just as faithful when I'm buried under care as He was in those early hours of communion." Get charged and stay charged through HIM!

8. As Each Day Ends: "The end of each day offers a unique opportunity to cultivate humility and weaken pride, as well as to sense God's pleasure." Review your day and assign God the glory due His name. Avoid as Mahaney puts it, "cosmic plagiarism" in which you place yourself as the author of your life and ministry which is truly a gift from above. Any success' you receive are on His behalf not yours. Accept the gift of sleep and realize the purpose that it has. It is a gift and it reminds us of our dependence and trust on Him...when we lay our heads down at night on our pillows we are trusting that God will sustain us through the night. And lastly make your final thought at night, if possible, a reminder of the cross of Christ. "Let the Spirit give you a new perception and appreciation of sleep, so that this seemingly ordinary act might be transformed into an opportunity to cultivate humility and weaken pride".

9. Study the Attributes of God: Study them all but especially is incommunicable ones. I recommend reading A.W. Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy...this is a great starting place. "As we investigate such attributes, we become increasingly aware of the indescribably vast distance between ourselves and God". The more you realize the distance and difference between you and God, the more pride is killed.

10. Study the Doctrines of Grace: These include election, calling, justification etc. As you study these doctrines you will no longer be able to congratulate yourself. When you reflect on the truth of salvation and that it was God that called us "sovereignly, graciously, mercifully, and effectively and not because we called him". Our salvation from beginning to end is by His grace. A good book to invest in is Saved By Graceby Anthony Hoekema.

11. Study the Doctrine of Sin: John Owens once said, "There are two things that are suited to humble the souls of men...A due consideration of God, and then of ourselves." We must study sin and become aware of its ways. Sin cause destruction but not always right away and therefore we need to be on guard. We can become hardened to sin as we allow it in our lives and do not stop it as it comes. Not only should you study the doctrine of sin and get rid of the sin in your life but you should begin applying truth from Scripture in order to fully combat that.

12. LAUGH: Laugh often and laugh often at yourself. "Laughter is a divine gift to the human is humble. A proud man cannot laugh because he must watch his dignity; he cannot give himself over to the rocking and rolling of his belly. But a poor and happy man laughs heartily because he gives no serious attention to his ego".

13. Identify Evidences of Grace: There are countless examples throughout Scripture like Paul or Job and people in our own lives...in our families or in our churches who are living breathing examples of God's grace. How do you identify these? Be familiar with the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." And be familiar with the gifts of the Spirit. When you become familiar with these you will begin to see these manifested in those around you and you will be humbled and reminded of God's grace often.

14. Remember God is at Work: The call of God of the believer is the exact evidence we need that God has been at work in them all along. Being able to know how God works throughout Scripture enables us to see that working out in the lives of those around us and it reminds us that God is actively working for His glory and in His will.

15. Remember God is Faithful: Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. Even when it seems like things aren't going the right way remember the God who has never let you down, who has ALWAYS been faithful NEVER changes.

16. Encourage Others: Nothing is more important then our words in regards to others. We have the ability to tear down and to build up in a split second. We need to use appropriate words, ones that are purposeful and not words that decay. Exhort each other daily. We need each other and we need each others help on our pursuit of Christ EVERY day.

17.Invite and Pursue Correction: Remember sin deceives...especially pride. We all need help, we all are blinded often by the sins and weaknesses in our life and we should be asking for and accepting correction from those who love us and desire for us to grow in the Lord. We have what Mahaney calls "pockets of spiritual blindness"...and we all do. It is vital you meet together for accountability and growth but just that doesn't work. You must admit your need for others and ACTIVELY participate in the group. We need help in applying truth CORRECTLY as well. The war against the spirit and flesh never ends, it is a lifelong battle until the day we meet our Maker and therefore we need help in this battle.

18. Respond Humbly To Trials: Suffering is inevitable in this fallen world and in the life of the Christian. Look at Habakkuk's example in Habakkuk 3:17-18 "Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior. "
Our response to trial is in regards to our view of God. Someone who responds rightly is truly humble in that they are prayerful before God (God-centered prayer), that they are waiting on the Lord (focusing on their salvation and not the suffering), and rejoicing in the Lord (and for who HE is and what He has yet to do). Prayerfully depend on the Lord for responding rightly to trials.

19. Leaving a Legacy of Greatness: If you asked your kids would they say they look up to you? We need to be examples in word and deed for our kids teaching them as living examples what a servant of Christ looks like so that they too may pursue true humility in life.

20. Remember who our BEST example is: Remember Christ, remember who He was and who He became so that we might experience eternity with Him. Remember how He lived, how He spoke, how He served, how He suffered, and how today He reigns on High and pursue that, pursue true humility like that modeled in Jesus Christ.