The Path To Humility

confession - The Path to Humility

He who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12

Paradox is one word that describes much of God’s truth. For example, “Lose your life and find it,” “Love your enemies,” and “Happy are those who mourn.” The Bible is filled with a divine logic that is unlike ours. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us, God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8).

Among these divine paradoxes is God’s plan and promise for exaltation of those who accept His challenge to humble themselves. Embracing humility is exactly what my (David’s) “self” doesn’t want to do. On the contrary, my “self” wants to hang on to my pride and my own sense of self-worth. Only the Spirit of God can produce a work of true humility, and one of His avenues of producing that work is true confession.

There’s no quicker path to humility than confession. Confession turns the searchlight of God’s truth upon our wrongs, and having seen them, we can openly acknowledge them and seek forgiveness first from God, then from others—like our spouse.

Harsh words, broken promises, or hurtful actions are all sins that require confession—to God and to our spouses. And when we humble ourselves and confess our sins, then God can exalt us and exalt our marriages. When we are broken before God, then He can pick us up, forgive and cleanse us, and bless us.

Confession is a powerful paradox. I’ve seen many a husband gain his wife’s respect by confessing in brokenness his wrongs toward her. You see, from brokenness comes strength of character. From admission of inadequacy comes true, God-centered adequacy.

Such vulnerability can be scary, but it can be rewarding, too, for the exaltation of a humble and forgiven heart is priceless.

In what areas of your life are you most in need of confession—to God first, then to your spouse?