How to humble yourself before God?

Good point, Upon this rock. Thanks. It really does all start there, doesn't it?

Here are some notes from my journal from last Easter that I just ran across, that seem to fit in this thread.

May we take this Holy Week approaching Easter as a time to examine our total dependence on God. May we deepen that dependence, until it is total. May we bow down in humility.

James 4:10 (KJV) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

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The Amplified Bible is instructive in this passage, and the few before and after it.

James 4:9-12 AMP 9 [As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].


10 Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

11 [My] brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge [of it]. 12 One only is the Lawgiver and Judge Who is able to save and to destroy [the One Who has the absolute power of life and death]. [But you] who are you that [you presume to] pass judgment on your neighbor?

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We see that humbling ourselves (bowing down) involves drawing near to God, weeping over our sins (repenting), refraining from speaking evil over others, because God alone has the absolute power over life and death!

The Message Bible puts it strongly, saying this about humbling ourselves:

James 4:9-12 MSG 9 Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious.
10 Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
11 Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it.
12 God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?

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To humble ourselves means to bow down totally to God, admitting our total dependence upon Him. We can look at how this humility develops in us in these passages in James 4. Here is the New Living Translation.

James 4:6-10 NLT
6 He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,
"God sets himself against the proud,
but he shows favor to the humble."
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites.
9 Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
10 When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.

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May God move our hearts to humility, to bowing down, to admitting our total dependence on Him, so that He can exalt us through Jesus Christ who has come to reside in us.

Your sister in Christ,
EarthMomma