Humility - Sabbath Week Three

I've said it a million times this week: we are living in some strange times.

I've always kinda felt like my life was "more weird" than others people's, or somehow that I have more "drama" or "coincidences" in my life. I've attributed it to a prayer I said when I was in middle school. I told God my life was "too boring" and that I wanted it to be like a TV show. Well, be careful what you pray for folks, cause God is in the habit of answering prayers! Lol.

I expected this season of Lent to be special, what with trying out Sabbath practices, continuing to learn my new job, coming to the end of my LPC intern hours, navigating a long distance relationship, etc. BUT I didn't expect to be in quite so over my head with physical distancing and Covid-19.

It seems timely that this week's Sabbath pillar was, of all things, humility.

Humility is something I often get wrong, and at times don't know whether I even want it or not. For too long, I've confused shame for humility. Being humble has nothing to do with a person's inherent worth, whereas being ashamed tends to attack a person's identity and worth at its core. I think humility is more of a perspective shift than a feeling / emotion. Humility is recognizing God's character and holiness, and accepting that He not only has control of everything, but that His control is in fact better than mine would be if I had it.

In these strange times, and in the heart of Sabbath rest, I pray that humility would be the tune of my song, and that I would more fully rely on my Heavenly Father at the end of all this than I did at the start.

Psalm 131 A Childlike Spirit
A Davidic song of ascents.

Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I do not get involved with things
too great or too difficult for me.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself
like a little weaned child with its mother;
I am like a little child.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
both now and forever.