October 1

The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. — Isa 2:11 BSB

How does the Lord humble us? By revealing to us who we really are; by showing us the depths of our fall; by making us feel the weight of our sinfulness before His mercy; by breaking us down; by bringing us low; by making us despise ourselves in dust and ashes. Isn’t that how God humbled the saints of old? How did He humble Isaiah? Wasn’t it by revealing His majesty, making Isaiah cry, “I am a man of unclean lips!”? How did He humble Daniel? By showing His almighty purity, turning Daniel’s beauty into corruption. How did He humble Hezekiah? By placing him on a sickbed, pressing his sins and iniquities heavily on his conscience. None of these men humbled themselves. How did the Lord humble Job? By allowing Satan to sift him, revealing the pride, irritation, and self-righteousness lurking in his heart.

Many people can’t stand to have their sinfulness touched upon. They can’t bear even a hint of the corruption in their hearts. But how can anyone have real humility without knowing themselves? How can I be humbled unless I see what’s inside me that covers me with shame and makes me despise myself before a God who knows everything? The more the glorious majesty of heaven reveals itself to my conscience in all its purity, and the deeper I understand my fallen nature and guilt, the more my heart will be humbled, and the more I will be brought low, despising myself in the dust.