“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” -Matthew 23:12
God’s kingdom is upside down. It’s the literal opposite reflection of what the world says. The world says “be proud” and God’s kingdom says “be humble.” It says “get even” when God says “turn the other cheek.” Or how about “stand up and fight” when meanwhile God says “humility, meekness and longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12.) And probably one of the most prevalent for women is that the world says “beauty is what is seen” when God says it’s “the good things we do” that makes us attractive (1 Tim 2:10.)
Standing in the World Instead of Kneeling to the Word
For far too long, I’ve lived my life standing on my own two feet. In moments I do take to my knees but I never stay there too long. I don’t trust it enough there. I don’t trust HIM enough to stay there. It’s just that I want some control because I don’t have enough faith to believe that God is good all the time. I say it and I know it, but deep down I haven’t completely believed it. I haven’t humbled myself enough to believe that “apart from Him, I can do nothing.” John 15:5
The truth is, when I’m on my own two feet, it takes much less to knock me down. I’m easily offended and easily angered. I am more insecure and unsure because I’m relying all on myself. When I’m standing on my own two feet, things can take me out at the knees. This is not just physically true but spiritually true too. When I come up with my own grand plan, thought or idea and it doesn’t work or someone says something negative about it, I crawl into a negative place of fear, insecurity and defensiveness.
But when I’m living on my knees and life tries to take me out, it can’t because I’m rooted. I’m in a position of humility, surrender and trust. I am rooted because I’m not depending on “self” anymore. I’m dependent on God’s foundation of truth and love and wisdom and no longer depending on my own ideas. I depend on His. And when I depend on His ways, I know the outcome is His. It’s all in His hands, not mine. And that changes everything. That leads me into a life of ease with peace in my heart. He says “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” in Matthew 11:30. And it truly is. Yet we often insist on not trusting that.
Bottom Line
God’s upside down kingdom has shown me lately that standing firm in the Christian life is really a life lived kneeling in surrender. And that humbling myself will lead to being exalted. I’m done with exalting myself. I’m done with trusting in myself. I’ve been taken out at the knees far too many times. I want to live my life in full surrender to the one I am in absolute awe of. He deserves it all. All of me. It’s all for His glory.
“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1
Prayer
So if this is you too, I invite you to say this prayer with me:
Lord, I’m done fighting this fight of life on my own two feet. I’m done relying on myself for responses and ideas on what life should look like for me. In my marriage, health, kids, home, and career, I’ve often stood proud fighting the fight alone instead of on my knees asking you how to do it and what you want it to look like. I’m sorry for not humbling myself enough to trust you. And I am sorry that I haven’t always believed that you are good all the time because if I did I’d always do it your way. Keep me on my knees. Humble me. And enable me to live a life in full surrender to you, trusting you always. I want all the glory to belong to you from here on out. I know this is your will and you will see it through in me. Thank you for this. In your amazing, holy, holy, HOLY name I pray. Amen.
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