In our world today, it seems like arrogance and pride are consistently rewarded. It can feel like the most self-promoting, self-exalting, and self-centered are also the most successful. And, perhaps according to worldly values, this is true. The Scriptures, however, make clear that God has a different posture toward pride.
Humility is a sign of spiritual fitness, while pride is a symptom of spiritual disease. James and Peter write to the first-century church that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5, quoting Proverbs 3:34 CSB). And Jesus tells his disciples, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11; Matthew 23:12 CSB).
James and Peter follow their declaration of God’s posture toward pride and humility with a command for the church to follow: “Humble yourselves and he will exalt you.” What an incredible promise from God! If the Scriptures command us to humble ourselves with the promise of exaltation from God, what might it look like to war against pride and fight for humility in our own hearts? Here are three practical ways to cultivate humility in our daily lives.
Worship God Daily
Worship cultivates humility because it rightly turns our focus away from ourselves to the one who is truly worthy of all praise. If you’re unsure how to start worshiping daily, consider beginning with the Psalms. For example, simply repeat these words to God in worship to him:
I exalt you, my God the King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 I will bless you every day;
I will praise your name forever and ever (Psalm 145:1–2).
Continue in worship by reading the rest of Psalm 145 and praising God for who he is and what he has done, as revealed in the text. Make a regular practice of reading through a psalm every day and using that psalm to ascribe to God the glory due his name. When we behold the glory of God and the beauty of his character, we delight in his goodness. We are also humbled by how far we are from what he calls us to be. The good news is that the kindness of God calls us to repentance.
Confess and Repent Regularly
The Christian life begins with confession and repentance of sin. When Peter first preaches the gospel in Acts, the people are pierced to the heart, and they ask, “What should we do?” Peter responds, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:37–38). Repentance is an act of humility because it acknowledges that we depend entirely on God. We need God’s forgiveness. Think of the tax collector from Luke 18 who could hardly bear the thought of drawing near to God, too ashamed to lift his eyes toward heaven, and could only cry out, “God have mercy on me, a sinner!” Jesus tells his disciples that the tax collector walked away justified because he humbled himself (Luke 18:9–14 CSB). Praise God that he does indeed give grace to the humble.
Confession and repentance of sin are not only the beginning of the Christian life but should also be a regular rhythm of the Christian life. John writes, “If we say, ‘We have no sin,’ we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, ‘We have not sinned,’ we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8–10 CSB). While we await the day when God makes all things new, including us, we will need to humble ourselves each day to confess sin and receive the grace of God in forgiveness.
Weep and Rejoice with Others
Paul writes to the church in Rome, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 CSB). These commands require humility because they call us to pay attention to others in their circumstances, not simply focus on ourselves. I think this verse, and many surrounding verses in Romans 12, provides practical ways to practice the humble Christ-likeness that Paul describes in Philippians 2.
Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3–4 CSB). For Paul, this mindset was most clearly displayed in Christ's humble, self-sacrificing obedience that led to the cross and purchased our salvation (Philippians 2:5–11).
When we rejoice in others’ joys and weep with others in their sorrow, despite our own circumstances, we are adopting the same mindset as Jesus. We adopt a humble posture and consider others more significant than ourselves. While this may seem contrary to the message of the world, we should note that the humble obedience of Christ is what led to his exaltation (Philippians 2:8–11). The pattern of our lives is the same. Humble, faithful obedience to Christ now, leads to resurrection later (Romans 8:12–17).
Conclusion
Practicing humility in your walk with Christ is a life-long pursuit that leads to glorious exaltation in God’s timing. It’s not something we achieve once and for all, but a lifestyle we cultivate through constant surrender, repentance, and dependence on God. If we practice a daily routine of worshiping God, repenting of sin, and fellowshipping through weeping and rejoicing with others, we can begin to grow in humility. Of course, these are not the only practical steps we can take, but they are a great place to start.o start.