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I've been kind of scared to post on this blog lately and I don't know why. I feel this pressure for my writing to be perfect and worthy of being read. I tend to overthink things and worry about them not being "good enough". After praying about it more, I realized those thoughts were silly. God granted me this gift to grow as a writer and bring more honor to Him. I must not take this opportunity for granted. So, here I am, riding this bumpy road of life and ready to talk about some deep stuff.
Today I want to talk about humility. Specifically, how we are called to strive for humility in a society driven by highlight reels and superficial depictions. Is it possible? Yes. But, it won't be easy.
I'm not a theologian nor an expert on humility. The topic has come up a lot in conversations with friends and in prayer. Amid recent events, I felt God calling me to share the importance of practicing humility. I'm still learning what that looks like in my life. My words purely come from the heart of a girl who loves God and wants to share His goodness.
"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." - C.S. Lewis
I recently heard this quote and I LOVE it! I think it perfectly sums up what humility is in a way that appears tangible for everyone to incorporate in their lives. Humility is not complicated. It's pretty simple. Yet, we so often forget about it. I know I am guilty of thinking I'm already "humble enough" when in reality I will be growing in this virtue for the rest of my life. Now more than ever, the world needs more humility.
A common misconception is that humble people are weak and submissive. Yet, those who practice humility are some of the strongest people in the world. The greatest example is Mother Teresa of Calcutta who dedicated her entire life's work to serving the poor and vulnerable communities. In our pursuits of sainthood, may we strive to be half as humble as her. My little sister expressed to me recently how she keeps me humble and I couldn't agree more. God places the right people in our lives to be examples of humility and to be our accountability partners.
In prayer, I asked God how He wanted me to help and He reminded me about the Litany of Humility. Let me tell you, it wrecked me!!! but in a good way :) I made sticky notes with some of the lines and put them in my room because there's something about the words staring you in the face all the time that forces you to listen. Isn't it beautiful how God freely gives us these tools to grow and become more like Jesus? I encourage to look up this litany, read through it, and see what speaks to you.
Social media con be so one-sided in terms of perfecting the algorithm and presenting a surface level version of your life. It makes humility difficult when seeing people travel to amazing places and do things that you aren't doing. I'm not saying it isn't inspiring, because it is. But at the same time it can lead a person down a road of self-doubt and comparisons. Currently, with social media being a main form of communication and connection, it should be used to start hard conversations and inform.
Numbers don't matter. Likes, followers, little pictures on a screen don't matter. The only thing that matters is you recognizing how God sees you. Who we are in His loving eyes is beautiful and loved and it is enough. It has taken me a long time to realize this and I still have moments of doubt. But, God is always there to welcome me back with open arms. He is for you too wherever you are on your faith journey. If everyone knew this, I'd like to believe that the world would be a more peaceful place. At the end of your life, that will be the only constant. The sooner you realize it, the fuller your life will be.
The recent events have been a wake-up call for me as a non-black POC in recognizing my white privilege. My problems are insignificant compared to what many people are facing everyday. We must ask for the grace of humility to see how we might be wrong in our world-views and instead choose love and peace. My family and I recently re-watched the movie "Hidden Figures" and I was reminded how powerful the message is. I want to do better at celebrating African-American artists, poets, writers, and scholars. I want to educate myself on these issues and do what I can.
I'm so imperfect. We all are. Yet God STILL LOVES US and shows us His grace and mercy everyday. He wants us to show humility because it's what the world needs right now. It needs people who care and who are willing to put others first. People who sympathize and then put those words into action. More than anything, showing humility will put you out of your comfort zone. Jesus teaches us to embrace discomfort because it's the only thing that will lead to CHANGE.
Don't be overwhelmed, click this link to discover ways you can help. Every action counts. https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Donate, call, text, email, sign petitions, speak out, and most importantly educate yourself. Take breaks from social media. PRAY the Litany of Humility, whatever stage in life you're at right now. Let's grow in humility together!!
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