HUMBLE HEART
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.
James 4:7-10 (NLT)
My favorite book of the Bible is James. Words are not minced and no bushes are beat around. He gets right to the point in language that is direct and convicting. It's not for the faint of heart, but it has been so helpful for me through the years to return to these wise words regularly. In the passage above, James lays out clear steps for us to walk with God.
The first step is submission. Submission is not a word we like because it means we are giving over control. The desire to control is a powerful one for so many of us! But to submit to God means recognizing His authority over our lives and aligning our will with His. It requires us to let go of our pride and surrender to His guidance. By submitting to God, we place ourselves under His protection, allowing Him to lead us away from the schemes of the enemy, who is real and active in the world today.
Resisting the devil is the next step. When we resist temptation and stand firm in our faith, the devil has no choice but to flee. This resistance is not in our strength but in God's, as we rely on His power to overcome. Think of how often we rely on our own willpower to get us through. How does that tend to go for us? We need to grow more and more dependent on the power of God rather than trusting in ourselves.
Drawing near to God requires an intentional effort to cleanse our hearts and minds. It's about leaving behind double-mindedness and pursuing a single-minded devotion to Him. James calls us to grieve over our sin, acknowledging the seriousness of our disobedience. It's easy to laugh with your friends over past misdeeds, but that's not the call of God.
APPLICATION: When was the last time you asked God to break your heart over your sin? If we're being casual or flippant about our sin, then we're not recognizing that our sin is what put Jesus on the cross. Ask God to give you a greater awareness and understanding of the depths of your depravity. Draw close to Him, and He will draw close to you!
PRAYER: Father, break my heart for what breaks yours. I desire to be fully submitted to You. Bless me, and help me to walk in submission and humility with You all the days of my life. In Jesus' name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?