Humiliation

Humiliation

MY QUESTION for GOD

When I’ve been humiliated, how can I recover?

A MOMENT with GOD

The Philistines captured [Samson] and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.

Judges 16:21

Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Luke 22:60-62

I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Psalm 51:3

Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. . . . I cling to your laws. Lord, don’t let me be put to shame! . . . Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. . . . May I be blameless in keeping your decrees; then I will never be ashamed.

Psalm 119:5-6, 31, 39, 80

Sometimes your own actions cause your humiliation, and sometimes you are humiliated by others. When you bring humiliation upon yourself, it goes deeper than just embarrassment. Embarrassment occurs when you do something, usually by accident, that is out of character and makes you feel self-conscious and distressed about what you did. On the other hand, humiliation occurs when you do something that utterly destroys your self-respect and dignity. For example, if you get caught stealing, you are humiliated in front of your family and friends, and you feel shame for what you did. Humiliation often brings guilt or shame because it reveals where sin has degraded your integrity. When others try to humiliate you, their objective is the same—to bring you shame or destroy your reputation. You can usually recover quickly from embarrassment, but it often takes much longer to recover from humiliation. If your enemies succeed in humiliating you, they can render you useless for a long time. No one likes to be humiliated, but it can be a divine moment for spiritual repentance and restoration because it forces you to go to the only One who can offer complete forgiveness and recovery. God promises to make you as clean as newly fallen snow and turn your humiliation into an opportunity for him to love, restore, and raise you up again. If you have experienced humiliation, especially if it was caused by your own sin, you may need to keep a low profile for a while to demonstrate that you are truly sorry and truly changed by the experience. But humiliation doesn’t have to render you ineffective for God forever. He can and will restore you to integrity and service if you allow him.

DIVINE PROMISE

PRIDE ENDS IN HUMILIATION, WHILE HUMILITY BRINGS HONOR.   Proverbs 29:23