Humility Required

Usually I am inspired to write in response to something I've read. I think that's because my own brain is mush. I need His thoughts to spark something of value (or something at all). Then a chain reaction gets going and I actually have a good thought. The last few days I keep seeing Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail saying, "Just blank..." when describing how she couldn't respond with come backs when insulted. I'm just blank most of the time, but I can't even say that line charmingly.

This morning I read Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, though. I went ahead and read the evening because I'm not disciplined enough to follow the rules. The June 3 evening entry says,

"He humbled himself." -- Philippians 2:8.

...While on earth, wasn't He always stripping off first one robe of honor and then another until, naked, He was fastened to the cross, and didn't He empty out His inmost self there, pouring out His lifeblood, giving up for all of us, until they laid Him penniless in a borrowed grave? How low our dear Redeemer was brought! Therefore, how can we be proud?

Now, this is a very spiritual way of looking at life. The trouble with me is that I don't think very spiritually. I tend to think on a very material plane, which makes suffering extra hard. The battle is mostly in the mind and how I think determines how I will do in the battle. So it is very important that I find those spiritual thoughts to guide me through.

There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything - even suffering. Suffering includes shame. Americans don't think much of suffering. In fact, I would say that it is diametrically opposed to the American dream and an offense to most Americans - so much so that we look with suspicion upon anyone who is truly suffering, myself included.

Maybe it's also not natural to the human, prideful psyche. But I also think that the American church is turning away from humility now en mass. Seeker churches are promoting "Life Coaching," and it seems that every Christian feels "entitled." There is now just a feeling in the air that success is the right and godly thing to do - or at least we must live a "peaceful" life. I'm not saying that success is wrong, or that anybody who is successful is not spiritual. I love being around successful people. It makes me feel successful, too. Please don't misunderstand my thoughts here if you happen to be in a trend of success right now (Congratulations!). I'm simply pointing out that the environment in the church is changing.

I believe every kind of suffering brings shame with it because suffering is essentially weakness of some sort - or meekness. There will always be mockers and those that look askance at suffering. There are those that are so afraid of suffering themselves that they cannot bear to see someone else's shame. Suffering is a lonely place to be, and that's why we so often find Christ there. We have fellowship with Him in suffering because He is the only One who can truly empathize and relate to our pain.

When I look at Christ's humility, I understand the battle that is going on inside of me when I am faced with weakness or the need to be meek. (Meekness is strength denied - you have the power to act, but you don't. That is a good word for married women to add to their vocabulary because it is called "beautiful" in 1 Peter 2.)

If you're suffering today, accept the weakness and shame or the need for meekness as his plan, and know that you are given the opportunity to understand more of His character. Ask Him to give you spiritual thoughts about life. The most spiritual thought I can think of here is that we are in a battle.

Here are some more spiritual thoughts for the day: He never takes His eyes off of us. If He knows every hair on our heads, He certainly knows where we find ourselves today. Now, that's just logical thinking.

God bless your fellowship with Him today,

Monica