Living with a Humble Heart

My church recently walked through the book of Esther. It was such a blessing to me, as I had never before studied this particular part of scripture in-depth. As we read together chapter by chapter and verse by verse, I recognized beautiful aspects of God’s character that deeply encouraged my heart. 

To name a few: God is present, continually working to accomplish His good purpose. God is over all, and no one can thwart His plan. God is able. Nothing is impossible for Him. God exalts the humble again and again. 

Before we move further, let’s take time to thank God for His Word. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). God speaks to us by His Spirit, through His Word. It is amazing the comfort, encouragement, and wisdom you find when you give the Holy Spirit the time and space to speak, for God’s Word never returns to us void (Isaiah 55:11). As you sit with this study and read the Word of God, know that God is speaking to you. These are His words, and they are for you. 

Here is what God has been revealing to me through Esther’s story: 

• A humble heart is deeply honorable to God. 
• God’s favor rests upon the humble, and they are lifted up. 
• Humility allows us to experience the power of God.  

All throughout scripture we see these truths come alive. Esther was a foreigner who found favor and was made queen for a purpose. David was a shepherd boy hand-picked to lead God’s people and established the line of Christ. Mary was a young girl chosen to be the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Each one of these individuals was chosen by God for a purpose. What’s similar is that they were all marked by their humility. They sought the Lord faithfully throughout their lives, honoring Him. Thus, God allowed them to take part in His remarkable, redemptive plan, paving the way for Christ to come into the world and fulfill the entirety of God’s promises. 

It is truly beautiful how God works. While the world exalts the proud and esteems the wealthy, God exalts the humble and honors those who recognize their need for Him (Matthew 23:12; Matthew 5:3). 

There is no greater example for us to look to than Jesus Christ. Jesus was marked by God’s favor because He humbled Himself to the fullest extent (Luke 2:40; Philippians 2:8). He left the perfection of heaven and entered a sinful earth in the most humble way—as a baby, in a manger, and in the most belittled town and place. Then, He grew up for the sole purpose of dying a criminal’s death on a cross for us—to conquer our sin and defeat death once and for all. 

Jesus was lifted up because of His humility. God raised Him from the dead, and now He sits at the right hand of God’s throne (Hebrews 1:4). His name is high above every other name (Philippians 2:9). 

As believers, we are called to imitate Christ (Ephesians 5:1). I want to take a moment to encourage you as to why you can imitate Christ with confidence. The reason Jesus humbled Himself in such a captivating way is because He knew God’s character. 1 Peter 2:23 tells us that Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly. When we know that we are deeply loved and accepted by God, it leads us to imitate Christ by living a life of obedience. It in turn brings glory and honor to our heavenly Father, which is what He is due. 

Friend, God desires to include you in the good work He is doing in this world. He does not require you to be more talented, more skilled, or more known in the world’s eyes. He simply wants your heart, your surrender, and your attention. God’s power will be most evident to the world through your humble heart (2 Corinthians 12:9). You can humble yourself before Him knowing that He is a good and loving Father who does what is right.