Humble Yourself -- Rest in Him

Most people have a shaky or unscriptural understanding of humility.

To some people, humility means thinking less of yourself. To others, it means thinking of yourself less. To still others, humility means doing what other people, or what God, tells you to do.

The Bible gives many examples of what humility really is: Resting in full trust in God and His Word:

"And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:" (Numbers 29: 7)

"Afflict your souls" would be better rendered "humble yourselves"

God then explains to the Israelites how He humbled them in the wilderness for forty years:

"And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live." (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Notice how humility has nothing to do with self-regard or works to earn God's favor, but rather has everything to do with depending on God, believing on His Word, and receiving His provision.

In another verse, God is speaking of Sabbath rest:

"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:" (Isaiah 58: 13)

If we delight ourselves in resting in Him, God will bless us:

"Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." (Isaiah 58: 14)

Micah  confirms that we delight in God's Mercy:

"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." (Micah 7: 18)

We are also called to trust in Him:

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 37: 3-4)

The writer of Hebrews confirms that rest and belief in God's Word are one:

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4: 9-11)

And of course:

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5: 6-7)

We humble ourselves by trusting God and taking Him at His Word -- that He loves us, that He cares for us, that He is watching out for us!