"Beloved: Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom." Jas 3:13
Success in the spiritual life is not measured by traditional standards. It does matter to the seeker whether he or she has rich and consoling experiences at prayer. Neither is the recognition of others important. Aware that every gift she has is God given and to be spent to announce the Gospel in word and deed, the only thing that matters is that God's mercy is proclaimed to all.
An attitude like this is rooted and grounded in the simple truth of God's sovereignty and gracious love for all, and when we acknowledge and accept this grace, we cannot not be humble. Like a child seeing snow for the first time, we are filled with delight in the miracle of water falling from the sky and covering the ground. God is working in us, through us and around us, and we can only pause, reflect and rejoice, not in our own triumphs, but in God's graciousness.
God's goodness to us is all the more remarkable when we consider our own faults. God seems to ignore our sins, to look beyond them, to use them in ways we could never imagine. When David admitted his sin, God first punished him appropriately and then loved him even more. Humbled, David begins life again and lives the law fully. The wisdom to trust God in every circumstance and to accept whatever God wills confirms David's new found humility. We must do the same.
Today, pray for humility.
How do you counter your own pride?
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