Previously I shared with you my journey this year as God has been speaking to me about willingness. This week, I wanted to share some of the other things God spoke to my heart this year…
HUMILITY – In the book of James it says ‘God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.’
I have realised more than ever this year that we live in a nation filled with pride. It shocked me to come to a realisation that I have been proud in some areas. The funniest thing was I was so proud that I wasn’t proud!
God has his ways to bring us to our knees, which at the time is very difficult but afterwards brings great joy and fruit. I am so grateful to have a God who does not leave me as I am but changes me each day for the better and for pastors and mentors who have the most humble, gracious and generous hearts. They demonstrate to me the true heart of Jesus.
My greatest lesson this year is coming to the realisation that I am what I am through the grace and mercy of God.
None of us can make it in our own strength, our own gifting, our own thoughts or strategising. God uses our gifts but we can only make it by his grace.
In the bible in the book of Genesis God told a man called Abraham and his wife Sarah that they would have a baby. This does not sound unusual, until you realise they were very old and Sarah was barren.
Naturally speaking this was an impossible situation. Many of us have these situations and it takes a brave person to humble themselves and believe God, instead of trusting their own strength.
Abraham was proud and took matters into his own hands and had a baby to his wife’s maid. This produced a son ‘Ishmael’. His life represents a man made solution. A solution produced from pride and making it happen in your own strength. How many times have I made Ishmael’s? How many times have you? Sadly for me, it feels like many times. But God promised ‘Isaac’, who was the son of promise. Isaac means ‘He laughs’.
Gods word to me this year was that ‘He would make me laugh’. I don’t feel like I have laughed much this year, in fact it feels like the opposite, however God has been showing me how not to produce ‘Ishmaels’ and from now on I will produce ‘Isaacs’. Thank God he is faithful and patient with me. I believe he has birthed me into a new season where I will laugh.
How many times do we interpret a word from God through our own filter – instead of laughing my way through this year, like I thought, I have cried, but Its now a new beginning of Isaacs and laughter!
We cannot live or lead out of our own reasoning but it has to be supernatural.
True leadership comes from a humble heart. I have had to come to a place of repentance at the feet of Jesus. I refuse to listen anymore to my own understanding and I have come to a new place of trusting that God will do what he says, in his way and his time.
If we are proud God resists us, if we are humble God himself will pour out his grace into our lives. You can never lose out when you humble yourself, as God backs you up.
Isaiah 43 v 18 ‘Forget the former things – God is doing a new thing!
Author- Pastor Julie Nundy