Reason #4-To Deepen Our Humility Before God

This weekend was busier and more emotional than I originally planned, but none the less, here is Reason #4 from 21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People.  To see reasons 1-3 go here.

To Deepen Our Humility Before God (Job 42:3)

Peeling the Onion:
Early compares the process of examination, looking at yourself, your circumstances, and maybe, even how we view God, to an onion.  With each new layer there is fresh exposure, but also a fresh set of tears.  He says that a benefit of suffering is, "it uncovers and unwraps layers of inner pride, independence, arrogance, self-will, self-centerdness and selfishness that would be exposed no other way.  This exposure is very painful but also essential.  Through hopeless brokenness comes the amazingly beautiful and liberating virtue called humility." 

As I read that I think about a letter that I recently wrote to Ella Grace.  I was writing to her and explaining that even though time has passed and that I am surviving, there is still a hole in my heart, an Ella Grace sized hole, that I am not sure will ever be mended.  I actually wrote, "Mommy is broken into a million pieces, Ella Grace.  I know that only God can put me back together, but some days it feels like when I shattered (the day we found out you were gone) some of the pieces were lost forever.  Now, I don't know exactly how God works.  Maybe He has some extra pieces laying around, or better yet, maybe He is planning on replacing those lost pieces with some fancy, shiny, improved, unbreakable, pieces.  Mommy would really like that.  Mommy really doesn't care how it works, just as long as it does.  Because right now it doesn't feel like I can bear this broken heart with missing pieces much longer."  

He Humbled Himself
The only virtue more Christ-like than selfless love is humility.  All of Christ's ministries and everything He accomplished for us came from his humility. 
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.  He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.  Not at all.  When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!  Having become human, he stayed human.  It was an incredibly humbling process.  He didn't claim special privileges.  Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient, life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.  Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heave and on earth--even those long ago dead and buried--will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 5-11 The Message)
To say it was humbling is an understatement!!   Jesus gave up more than we can ever imagine having!  He gave up being free, to be a member of a nation of slaves.  He gave up Independence to become a baby.  He gave up the majesty of heaven to come to earth.  He gave up being worshiped as God to be mocked, beaten and abused. He humbled Himself. "King became slave.  God became man.  The Ancient of Days became infant."  Jesus is the epitome of humility.

A Humbled Man
Job had it all going his way-riches, family, envy of the land, until adversity destroyed his life.  Everything gone.  Mocked by not only his friends, but also by strangers. 

Job thought that if he could just get God's attention, and audience with God, he could endure it all.  But when Job did get God's attention it didn't turn out like Job thought it would.  Job didn't convince God of the injustice of the situation, instead, Job was left speechless by God's power and awe struck by God's authority.  Of course, as always the case with God, good came from the bad.  Because of Job's deep suffering and pain, Job was left with a deeper humility. 
"You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." (Job 42:3 The Message)
Doesn't struggle and pain have a strange way of reminding us that we are not the center of the universe?  It forces us to rely on others and run with wild abandon straight into the arms of God.  "When suffering has thrown us flat on our back and we have nowhere to look but up, it is only then that we truly see God."

Humility Is a Magnet
For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite" (Isaiah 57:15)
What a beautiful promise!  God, who is King of kings, Lord of lords, Ruler of the universe promises to be with the hurting, helpless, hopeless and humble,  When hard times knock us on our backs God lovingly reaches us down and picks us up.  When trouble surrounds us and seems to be so close, God draws closer still.  Early says, "True heartbroken humility is like a magnet that attracts the God who is hopelessly in love with the hopeless."

God Is No Fan of Self-Sufficient Pride
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
For Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12)
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "god opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)
I am no theologian, but I am pretty certain that God opposes the proud!  He doesn't look kindly on self-sufficiency.  We can't impress God by anything we can do, say, be, think, create...nothing.  Our best effort?  Humility!  So why does a good God allow bad things to happen to "good" people?  Because it allows us to become more humble people.  It reminds us that we need Him and it brings us to a place where we allow us to meet Him in our pain.  Whatever pain you have, whatever suffering there is in your life, allow it to produce a deeper humility.