Cultivating Humility Character Declarations

Did you know that the humble pie is not a physical pie? In those days, when people go to the butcher and they ask for a humble, they are asking for the inside of an animal, especially of a deer to be used as food. The original term for the humbles is numbles, from the Middle French nobles, acquired as a variant umbles, sometimes later spelt humbles. At some point, however, the resemblance of the deer’s humble became irresistible and the literal pie became a metaphorical one signifying self-abasement. When somebody tells you to go and eat the humble pie these days, it simply means that you exhibit some prideful character and you need to humble yourself.

We all need to humble ourselves. Pride is not a character that exalts anybody rather it destroys. To some extent, our inside should also be irresistible to God and to others. We should reflect on the state of our hearts and work to grow in humility because God is more attracted to a humble heart than a prideful heart. Although we all have the tendencies to be prideful, we ought to repent of this and ask the Lord to give us a heart of humility. We should ask the Lord for a change of heart as such is a humble heart that the Lord exalts. Before Jacob was able to return to his homeland to face his twin brother Saul, the Lord had to work on his heart for twenty-one years under his uncle Laban. Jacob had learnt so much life lessons including that of humility that it was easier for him to humble himself when faced with his twin brother Esau.

Humility exalts from the lowliest state.

Before King Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his position as a King, The Lord had to teach him a lesson on pride and humility. He became like an animal and he ate among the plants of the earth for seven seasons (Daniel 4). The same humility exonerated Zacchaeus from being loathed and disdained by society to becoming a friend of Jesus. He repented of his sins, returned everything he fraudulent collected from people to them and he followed Jesus thenceforth.

Humility sets free.

It helped Joseph’s relationship between him and his brothers. Before Joseph was eventually elevated to be the Prime Minister of Egypt, his heart was pruned and tested. And he did not completely pass his test of humility until he was face to face with his siblings who sold him into slavery. Joseph’s freedom, wealth and good reputation were not complete until he humbled himself, forgave his siblings’ offences and extended love and compassion to them.

Pride is not of God, it is of the devil. It only sees its own way as right, its opinion as better than others and sees itself as inferior to others. If you find yourself exhibiting these traits in your character, then perhaps you want to cry out to God to help you be humble. And perhaps you are already humble but you want to be completely humble then ask the Lord to fill your heart with more humility. Perhaps you are struggling to cultivate the humility character, speak the word of God over yourself and allow the power in the word to renew your mind and change your world for good.

Speak the Word of God Over Yourself and Change Your World for Good

Day 1

Who am I that God is mindful of me? I am nothing but a flower quickly fading and I bow my knees to worship the Lord today (Psalm 8).

Day 2

As I wake today and I walk out of my door into the world, I choose to put on the cloak of humility. I will count myself as a nobody and I will wait for the Lord to exalt me as a somebody (Colossians 3:12).

Day 3

I am not who I think I am and I will not act as I think I should act, but today, I will be humble, patient, gentle and bear with others in love because this is who God created me to be (Ephesians 4:2).

Day 4

Today I embrace the grace to be humble. I will not exalt myself above others but I will humble myself and allow God to honour me in return (James 4:6,10).

Day 5

Today I choose humility above pride. As a sign of humility, I choose to submit myself to God and to those who are above me. I will not act in my own understanding but I will allow God to lead me through those He has placed above me ( 1 Peter 5:5).

Day 6

Today I will humble myself before the giver of life through whom I live and have my being. I surrender to His leading and guidance and healing will abound unto me (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Day 7

God’s grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong(2 Corinthians 12:9-10).