It may seem weird to pair the word humility with the word unknown. Normally, when we’re thinking about journeying into the unknown, we’d use the word trust, or maybe even faith.

But humility is appropriate too. That’s because it’s the arch-nemesis of humility– pride– that sets off our struggle as we step into the unknown.

Pride hinders us from fully trusting the Lord and walking in faith.

I have first-hand experience in this area. August 2012 was initially like any other hot, summer August. I was working full-time during that season in my life, but I had a lot of paid time off I needed to use before the end of the fiscal year. So, during those weeks at home, I had a lot of quiet time with the Lord.

Before you jump to the conclusion that this was a beautiful, serene time— let me stop you right there. You see, we hadn’t had kids yet, but I felt the Lord strongly pressing upon my heart that it was time to start our family.

For someone whose only dream when growing up was to be a mom, you’d think I would have jumped at the Lord’s calling. But, I didn’t. I hesitated.

A lack of humility

At the time, we had people in our lives who truly wanted what was best for us and would help us to “stay on the right track” by offering advice and counsel. Nothing wrong with this– as long as it is godly counsel from a biblical perspective and worldview. In fact, Proverbs 11:14 tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors.

Encouraging us to make sure our finances were better first, or get out of debt, or buy a home first… these were some of the things we heard in terms of whether or not we were ready to have kids. Again, none of this was inherently wrong advice. The Bible tells us we should be good stewards of our money.

The only discrepancy with the advice was that I had a strong conviction from the Lord. He spoke directly to my heart about starting a family.

I hesitated with the Lord’s calling because I was too busy listening to everyone else’s counsel.

As I look back, my faith and reliance on the Lord were not as strong then as they are now. Be that as it may, I don’t recall the Lord ever bringing those personal finance matters to mind. They weren’t any of His concern– He simply called me to start a family.

It was my job to trust Him and proceed. Yet, the sin of pride was what kept me listening to others’ counsel overtop of the Lord’s.

Pride makes you wrestle with God

So that August, as I had time off work— time to be alone and commune with the Lord, He brought me to my knees. I call it my Jacob experience. You know, the time the Lord wrestled with Jacob at Peniel (Genesis 32:22-32).

I began feeling very irritable, emotional, and depressed, crying almost every day. This is how it began. Over the course of about 2 weeks, I agonized over the decision to get pregnant as the battle between man’s counsel and God’s counsel waged war in my mind.

It was a trying time— painful, confusing, and intense. Once I truly recognized what was going on, and that this was the Lord’s way of getting my attention, it all became clear.

He brought me out of my pride and into humble submission to the plans and purposes He had for me. He prevailed, His plans prevailed, and He showed me that what He calls me to do, I can only willingly do in submission to His will– once I remove the pride.

“Before destruction the heart of a person is haughty, But humility goes before honor.”

— Proverbs 18:12 NASB

I had to remove the pride of: My plans are better; I need to fix things on my own before I do this; or, This idea sounds good, God, but I was thinking…

Pride keeps us in a place where we walk the dangerous line of destruction, falsely deceived into thinking we know best.

But we don’t. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).

Pride holds us back from purposely living for the Lord.

Pride makes us walk by sight, not by faith.

Humble Submission

When the Lord calls us to a hard decision, we cannot fully operate within the safety of His will when pride fills our hearts. We must allow Him to remove it.

Once we do, we can enter into a place of humility before Him, where we can bow to His will, and from there, humbly submit.

Once we humbly submit, then, ultimately, we can walk in faith. And, when we walk in faith, we have the peace that only the Lord can give us.

By the end of that August, after humbly submitting to the Lord’s timing, I was pregnant with our first child, who we welcomed into the world that following spring.

Finances weren’t an issue. It didn’t matter that we still lived in a two-bedroom apartment. It made no difference that we weren’t out of debt. All we needed was provided. Jehovah Jireh.

Because He is the Lord our God. And that is what He does.

Humility & Submission as Seen in Mary

We can look to Mary in the Bible, Jesus’s mother, as an example of what humility and submission look like. She is an amazing example of being willing to be used by the Lord, no matter the cost.

Unlike me, she did not buck at the calling the Lord gave her for weeks on end. She didn’t wrestle with Him for many days as she contemplated what others were telling her about her life.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to give her the message that Jesus would be conceived in her womb, she didn’t say ‘No.’ She didn’t say she wasn’t willing, or “What about this…?”. Her only question was a logistical one when she asked how this could happen since she was a virgin (Luke 1:26-34).

She didn’t even speak about the possible consequences of accepting a calling like this– being looked at as an adulterer, or how others would view Joseph, to whom she was betrothed.

No– her next words are ones we can all learn from:

“And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.””

— Luke 1:38 NASB

Humility in the Bible

Humility is a heart attitude. It displays itself in our lives when we possess meekness, and we see ourselves rightly compared to God. Got Questions states, “True humility produces godliness, contentment, and security.”

Humility shouts, He is God; I am not.

Proverbs 22:4 says, “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.” (NASB)

Pride is never rewarded. In fact, the Bible says repeatedly that pride comes before the fall, before destruction, and that the Lord will humble the proud (Proverbs 16:18; Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 29:23; James 4:6).

Instead, humility comes before honor (Proverbs 18:12). We can never truly and honestly submit to the Lord without humility. He honors those who do, just as He did with Mary. She became the mother of our risen Lord, and was loved and cherished by Him throughout His time here on earth.

So, what can we learn from Mary? In times of uncertainty– when the Lord is calling us to a place or to circumstances unknown, like Mary we can grow in our faith in these ways:

#1: Listen intently to what God is calling you to do.

As Gabriel spoke his message from God straight to Mary (Luke 1:28-33), she didn’t interrupt or overthink it. She didn’t jump from “A” to “Z”, wondering about all of the letters in between. There was no verbal comeback or hint of extreme disbelief in her response.

You too can have this heart attitude. Be still and quiet long enough to actually hear what the Lord is saying. Make sure you understand His Words and the things He is pressing upon your heart. Don’t immediately jump to conclusions or get wrapped up in the details.

#2: ALLOW GOD TO HANDLE THE DETAILS.

After she heard the message, her only question was simple (yet, I’m sure all of us women completely understand why she’d ask that!). She just needed a tiny piece of the puzzle to help her make sense of it all, and that was that.

God is not the Author of confusion. Even if He calls you to do something but doesn’t give you a bunch of details (which is often the case!), it profits you nothing to try and figure out “how to get there” or what you’ll do when you arrive.

God will provide for you, sustain you, and keep you every step of the way.

#3: Take the Lord at His word.

Gabriel explained to Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and her child would be called the Son of God. In case she needed more encouragement in the power of the Lord, Gabriel also gave her word that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age (Luke 1:35-37).

Mary simply took the Lord at His word, believing all of these things immediately– not because she thought she was worthy, but because she knew her God. She knew her God was big enough to handle all the details. To work things out. To give her the grace and steadfastness she needed to live out this calling.

Sister, do you take the Lord at His word? When He calls you to something big or small, or something a little frightening, do you respond in a way that presents yourself as a humble servant, ready to do His will?

He is the same God now as He was back then. If He entrusted Mary with carrying the Savior of the world in her womb, will He not also trust you to carry out whatever task He is calling you to?

SISTER, LET’S Walk by faith.

Please don’t be like I was during that hot August in 2012. Please don’t buck at the Lord’s word. Please don’t listen more to the counsel of others— no matter how godly it may be— if you have a clear conviction from the Lord.

Trust me, it doesn’t end well. Until…

You submit. You bow in humility. You release the pride. You let the Lord have His way.

His way is always best for you. You can’t see the full picture. You don’t know everything that lies up ahead– all the blessings, the honor, and the ways your life will glorify Him.

But He knows.

So trust Him, sister. Humbly submit. Step out in faith.

He can’t wait for your relationship with Him to grow more deeply as you do.