2 Chronicles 24-25 / Romans 12 / Psalm 22:19-31 / Proverbs 20:8-10
It’s interesting to watch the different personality types and how they interact with others, but also what they believe about themselves. I’ve met insecure people and confident people. I’ve also met people who cover their insecurity with confidence, and those who operate with false humility.
Let’s first define false humility. False humility is behaving as if you are incapable of things you are fully capable and gifted to do. It’s simply another cover for insecurity and not seeing yourself the way God does. People perceive us in certain ways outwardly, and some are aware of our inward persona.
God is the only One aware of who we really are at our core. We, as well as others, only see ourselves in part, and we tend to be overly critical and harsh toward ourselves. So, how are we to get a proper estimation of who we really are and of what we are capable?
There is a verse in Romans 12 that is informing this post. Verse 3 states Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
If we are unable to discern ourselves properly, God is giving us some instruction on what will help the process. We are to measure ourselves by the faith God has given us. In short, see yourself through the eyes of faith, or through the eyes of Jesus Christ and what He has done and provided for us.
In Him we are made perfect, righteous, forgiven, and clean. In Him we find our true destiny, purpose and calling. In Him we know that we are loved. We must look at ourselves through the lens of love because He is certainly looking at us in that way.
What does it mean then to measure yourself by this faith in the verse above? We must know what our gifts are, our calling and our purpose in life and in God’s Kingdom. Once we’re sure of this, we can operate as we know He has called and gifted us. To operate in faith is to give neither more nor less weight to our place in the body. It is also to keep our eyes locked on the Father for His approval and not to be concerned with the approval of men.
And we know we have His approval already because He sees us through the covering of His much-loved Son. If we know our calling, and are walking securely in it, we can rest assured that we are pleasing God. But even more foundational to this point is that we are pleasing to God because we are His daughter or son. He is pleased simply in our existence as His.
You’ve heard the statement “stay in your lane”. This statement applies to the way we operate within the body. If we “stay in our lane”, we make space both for our gifts and the gifts of others. When we are secure enough to do this, we find ourselves growing and content with life.
Action plan – pray, asking God to show you your part in His body. Once you hear that part, begin to operate in that place according to your experience and knowledge, not running ahead. If you’ll operate and learn, you’ll grow and become better at operating. As I reminded a new friend recently, we are not sprinters; we are marathon runners.
Let me leave you with one final verse to prove that last statement. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at eh right hand of the throne of God.
To run with endurance is to run as a marathon or long-distance runner. We’re in this race for the long-haul. Stay steady, stay in your lane, operate in your gift according to your faith and skill and you will get where you’re trying to go!
