A friend of mine, Sean Higgins, recently posted some thoughts on humility that were inspired by Henry Scougal. Because of the persistence of pride in my own life I am eager to jump on anything that can be of help in killing it. I find this to be helpful stuff.
I am humbled that I am not very humble. I recently read Henry Scougal’s Life of God in the Soul of Man and I was ashamed to recognize so little of the supernatural life in mine, at least at some times. This void became especially evident as he described divinely produced humility.
Humility imports a deep sense of our own meanness, with hearty and affectionate acknowledgment of our owing all that we are to the diving bounty; which is always accompanied with a profound submission to the will of God, and great deadness toward the glory of the world and applause of men. (p.50)
So a humble heart is one that is 1) poor in spirit, 2) thankful, 3) submissive, and 4) for lack of a better word, unaware. These are four things that currently need considerable cultivation.
Not only is there great need and reason for humility, there is great benefit in it.
The proud and arrogant person is a trouble to all that converse with him, but most of all unto himself: everything is enough to vex him; but scarce any thing sufficient to content and please him. (p.73)
The proud person is a pain in the neck to others. They can never serve him as he thinks he deserves and it is his work to correct their miscalculation. Worse, he is the biggest pain to himself. Those who are great in their own eyes can’t help but disappointment themselves. And rather than increase joy, pride reduces the sources of happiness to one and locks him away in discontent. Not only that,
…the humble person hath the advantage when he is despised, that none can think more meanly of him than he doth of himself; and therefore he is not troubled at the matter, but can easily bear those reproaches which wound the other to the soul. (p.73)
The proud are busy defending themselves and their self-presumed importance. They don’t have time to listen and respond to every question as an attack. If they realized they weren’t so special, it would be no surprise to be treated especially bad.
Being proud is a labor of disillusion and futility. Therefore, I am praying for a decrease of vanity, an increase of humility, and more of the life of Christ in my soul.
Perhaps you see signs of pride and the need for humility in your life with increasing clarity as you read this. Go to the cross- the only hope for killing our pride and the most compelling reason for humility in our lives.