He remembered us in our low estate. (Ps. 136:23)
While leading chapel music at a Christian school, I noticed a trend in the students’ responses to the services. When I approached worship with a focus on perfect performance and felt proud of the music, the services seemed stagnant. However, when I was able to forget about the musical technicalities and lose myself in worship, it seemed that then I would receive the most comments about the quality of the music—even when I knew I had hit several bad chords or struggled to keep my voice on pitch.
Why? When we approach service to God as an opportunity to impress others, we are actually competing with God for their attention. However, when we humbly give ourselves to glorify him, there is one less hindrance to his process of revealing himself.
God does not despise us when we are in a low position. It is actually these times that allow him to show his power, love, and glory most clearly to us and through us. When our needs are exposed, his desire and ability to meet them become more evident. Our inability to help ourselves prepares us to rely on God—which delights his heart—and also sets a clear example to those around us that God can be depended on.
When he alone can meet our needs, we experience his favor as our humble state brings him glory.
Humble yourself to receive God’s help and to give him glory.
Debbie Shaw is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and resides in North Carolina with her husband, Lee. She enjoys gardening, painting, reading, and coffee.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
