A Prayer for Humility

A Prayer for Humility -- Insights from God’s Word
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:12

So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. - 1 Corinthians 10:12

A Prayer for Humility – True Humility
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I must begin my day today by confessing that my heart has often been deceived into thinking that I am living a life of humble service when in reality, many of my motivations are grounded in selfishness. I am so grateful You helped me to understand this about myself many years ago -- and are still faithfully reminding me when I start to get off track again.

I am on my knees today asking You to help me understand that any influence I might have in the Body of Christ needs to be given by the Holy Spirit Himself and not by my own strength. Remind me that it is far better to have no reputation at all than to attain great things on my own power. I acknowledge this is a hard lesson for me to fully understand. I also realize that You have grown me up enough to recognize the things that You are blessing -- so I will be able to join Your efforts to my own, where I will always find success.

The more I have come to understand how wise You truly are, and how Your Holy Word is so full of practical advice for my day to day living, the stronger I have grown. You have blessed me with fruit that was planted solidly. Thank You that You are showing me that my feelings of inadequacy are actually good because they keep me from becoming self centered. I look at the lives of those folks around me and the first thing I see is their humble attitude of service to others. I see them putting You first, seeking to serve You at the expense of their own advances. I see You richly reward them with Your own reflection shining brightly out of their innermost being.

Because I know I will never be up to the job You have chosen for me, it makes me realize how very dependent on You I have become. I am so grateful I do not wait for my own strength to surface, but instead, rely on Your strength to point me in the right direction. I pray today that I will become more like Jesus than I was yesterday. I pray I will be unafraid to act in obedience when I hear You call. Make me more aware each day of the tremendous authority I have received from You, which helps me not blow it by claiming it as my own. Please never let me misuse the gifts You have given me.

I close this prayer today by asking You to never let me become a stumbling block to anyone because I claimed authority that You did not give me. Help me to never do anything that could bring harm to others by stepping out in anything other than the authority of the Holy Spirit. Please, I beg you keep me humble in heart, grant me the nature of a true servant, and give me discernment and wisdom to be able to take my stand against Satan and his evil attempts to counterfeit and destroy that which You have been preparing for me.

Finally, Jesus, please keep me honest by recognizing that a true, humble servant of God is someone who is in agreement with what You are doing. Remind me that true humility is the exact opposite of powerlessness. True humility empowers and strengthens and casts out fears. Thank You for reminding me and keeping me pure and motivated by my devotion to You.

A Prayer for Humility – Making it Personal
Reflect: We must learn to clearly hear what God is saying to us so we will not be deceived by Satan or by our own human inadequacies. Try to remember that God became angry with Moses for his false humility, and Moses was one of the most humble men who ever walked the earth. Stop now and ask God to reveal this truth to you in a very personal way.