Redeemed Woman

Reflections

God is in the business of humbling. He humbles the proud. He humbles the self-sufficient. He humbles kings and princes. He humbles His children. Humbling can have many forms and happen in many ways – through life struggles, physical illness, heartaches, lost and pain, and death.

God allows humbling things into our lives for our good. It is meant to wake us up from the illusion of pride. We come to the end of ourselves and realize that nothing was actually in our control, there must be a God. It is meant to turn us back to God, the only One who can give us true hope and life. And the way back to Him is through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Those who humble themselves before the Lord will be exalted. Our source of life and meaning comes from Him. Without Jesus, we are nothing.

Psalm 33:13-22 (ESV),

The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
¹⁴ from where he sits enthroned he looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
¹⁵ he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
¹⁶ The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
¹⁷ The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love,
¹⁹ that he may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waits for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
²¹ For our heart is glad in him,
    because we trust in his holy name.
²² Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you.

John 1:1-4 (ESV),

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV),

⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

James 4:5-10 (ESV),

⁵ Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? ⁶ But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.